STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
297
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
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Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to establish a task force to study the effects of New York state
opting out of daylight saving time
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. a. A task force, to be known as the task force on daylight
2 saving time, is hereby established to study the effects of New York
3 state opting out of daylight saving time. Such task force shall be
4 comprised of appropriate state agency personnel and experts in the field
5 of daylight saving time.
6 b. The task force shall be comprised of:
7 (i) two members appointed by the governor;
8 (ii) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
9 (iii) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
10 (iv) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and
11 (v) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
12 c. The task force shall:
13 (i) examine and evaluate the potential health risks associated with
14 daylight saving time, such as heart attack;
15 (ii) identify the potential effects of daylight saving on morning
16 activities;
17 (iii) establish whether the act of changing clocks twice a year is
18 economically and/or socially disruptive;
19 (iv) identify the potential effects of daylight saving time on traffic
20 and crime;
21 (v) establish whether daylight saving time currently provides a bene-
22 fit to this state;
23 (vi) examine the history of daylight saving time;
24 (vii) examine any relevant studies on daylight saving time;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01115-01-5
S. 297 2
1 (ix) evaluate the positions and potential legislation from neighboring
2 states and the federal government on daylight saving time;
3 (x) identify regulations that are affected by daylight saving time and
4 that would be affected by the elimination of daylight saving time; and
5 (xi) make recommendations on whether this state should opt out or
6 continue to utilize daylight saving time.
7 d. Such task force shall submit a report, on or before April 1, 2026,
8 to the governor and the legislature of its findings, conclusions and
9 recommendations, and legislative and regulatory proposals deemed neces-
10 sary to implement such recommendations.
11 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
