NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8106
SPONSOR: Vanel TITLE OF BILL:
An act to establish a task force to study the effects of New York state
opting out of daylight saving time; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon the expiration thereof
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Establishes a task force to study NYS opting out of daylight savings.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 establishes an eight person task force, outlines their duties,
and when the taskforce should produce a report on their findings about
the effects of New York State opting out of daylight savings time.
Section 2 states that the act shall take effect immediately.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSIONS:
Technical amendments.
JUSTIFICATION:
One hundred years ago, in 1918, Daylight savings was started to save
energy, but overtime, different states have been in favor of daylight
savings for different reasons. The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005
gives every state or territory the right to opt out of using daylight
savings. In the United States America Hawaii, Arizona and all of the
external territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin
Islands do net follow daylight savings. Proponents of Daylight Savings
Time generally argue that it saves energy, promotes outdoor leisure
activity in the evening, and is therefore good for physical and psycho-
logical health, reduces traffic accidents, reduces crime or is good for
business. Groups that tend to support it are urban workers, retail busi-
nesses, outdoor sports enthusiasts and businesses, tourism operators,
and others who benefit from having more hours of light after the end of
a typical workday in the warmer months. Opponents argue that actual
energy savings are inconclusive, that Daylight Savings Time increases
health risks such as heart attack, that Daylight Savings Time can
disrupt morning activities, and that the act of changing clocks twice a
year is economically and socially disruptive and cancels out any bene-
fit.
This bill would create a task force to study the effects of extending
daylight savings in New York State.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
01/28/21 referred to governmental operations
01/05/22 referred to governmental operations
01/26/23 referred to governmental operations
01/03/24 referred to ways and means
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately.
