February 2, 2015 – The Utah State Legislature is in session, and that means new bills that can effect cycling. Utah House Bill 178 aims to abolish Daylight Savings Time in Utah. Think fewer after work rides, fewer weekly criteriums and races that can be finished before dark, and shorter rides since this would break up daylight hours before and after work.
“Aligning Utah with a year round Standard Time would be a hindrance for most cyclists and the greater outdoor and tourism industry. I believe most cycling and outdoor activities occur in the afternoon and evening hours. Plus, who wants to get up at 4 AM as opposed to 5 AM to escape the summer morning heat,” said cyclist Jason Packard in regards to the bill.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Lee Perry (R-Perry) and currently is in the House Rules Committee.
To comment on the bill, you can find your Utah state representative here:
http://le.utah.gov/house2/representatives.jsp
and your Utah state senator here:
http://www.utahsenate.org/aspx/roster.aspx
[Editor’s Note – Cycling Utah opposes this bill. We feel that it would have an overall negative impact on cycling since it reduce the size of continuous blocks of time available during the cycling season. It would impact many of our local races and rides by reducing the time available after work to hold these events.]
While this bill would eliminate Daylight Savings Time, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 would switch Utah to the Central Time Zone, and would thus switch Utah to Daylight Savings Time year-round. This resolution is put forth by Sen. Aaron Osmond (R – Salt Lake County). This bill would perhaps be much more pro-cycling.
It’s not clear at this point whether either bill will have any traction. HB 178 will require a 2/3 majority to pass. The Senate bill will require the Governor to act.
House Bill 178 Introduced Text:
1 DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME EXEMPTION
2 2015 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Lee B. Perry
5 Senate Sponsor: ____________
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill enacts provisions exempting Utah from the observance of daylight saving
10 time.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ exempts Utah from the observance of daylight saving time.
14 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15 None
16 Other Special Clauses:
17 This bill provides a special effective date.
18 Utah Code Sections Affected:
19 ENACTS:
20 63M-1-208, Utah Code Annotated 1953
21
22 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23 Section 1. Section 63M-1-208 is enacted to read:
24 63M-1-208. Daylight saving time exemption.
25 (1) As used in this section, “daylight saving time” means the period during a year when
26 the observed time is advanced one hour according to the provisions of 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260a.
27 (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary relating to the adoption
28 of daylight saving time by all of the states, the state of Utah hereby exempts all areas of the
29 state from the daylight saving time provisions contained in 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260a.
30 (3) The state of Utah shall observe mountain standard time on a year-round basis,
31 without the observance of daylight saving time.
32 Section 2. Effective date.
33 If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
34 on March 7, 2015.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 1
Introduced
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor calls for the change of
12 Utah’s designated time zone and observance of daylight saving time.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 ▸ requires the creation and submission of an application to the United States
16 Department of Transportation to permanently change Utah’s designated time zone;
17 ▸ calls upon the United States Department of Transportation to approve the state’s
18 application to change the designated time zone from mountain standard time to
19 central standard time; and
20 ▸ intends, contingent upon the approval of Utah’s application for the state’s transfer of
21 designated time zone, that Utah opt out of daylight saving time and observe
22 standard time year round.
23 Special Clauses:
24 None
25
26 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
27 WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation is vested with the
28 authority to change the designated time zone of a state under the Uniform Time Act of 1966,
29 15 U.S.C. Sec. 261, if the change is in the “convenience of commerce”;
30 WHEREAS, the Legislature and the Governor have determined that it is in the
31 economic and commercial interest of the citizens of Utah to change Utah’s designated time
32 zone from mountain standard time to central standard time;
33 WHEREAS, Utah’s adoption of central standard time is in the interest of the United
34 States;
35 WHEREAS, the adoption of central standard time would increase, for one hour,
36 daylight in the evening hours;
37 WHEREAS, one extra hour of daylight in the evening will reduce household and
38 commercial energy use, reduce traffic accidents, increase commercial activity, and increase the
39 tax base of Utah and the United States; and
40 WHEREAS, the adoption of central standard time would further provide for the
41 “convenience of commerce,” within that term’s meaning in the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15
42 U.S.C. Sec. 261:
43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
44 Governor concurring therein, calls upon and orders the Utah Department of Transportation to
45 create an application, in accordance with the United States Department of Transportation’s
46 policies and procedures, to change the state of Utah’s designated time zone from its current
47 designation of mountain standard time to central standard time before January 1, 2016, in
48 accordance with 15 U.S.C. Sec. 261.
49 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor certify that the
50 application to the United States Department of Transportation that is created under the
51 direction of this concurrent resolution is created and submitted with the approval of, and on
52 behalf of, the Legislature and Governor of this state.
53 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge the United
54 States Department of Transportation to approve Utah’s application to change from the
55 observance of mountain standard time to central standard time.
56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Utah’s change from mountain standard time to
57 central standard time would further provide for the “convenience of commerce,” within that
58 term’s meaning in the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 261.
59 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon approval of the application to the United
60 States Department of Transportation, Utah shall adopt and observe central standard time.
61 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon Utah’s adoption of central standard time, the
62 state shall be exempt from the provisions of the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec.
63 260a, commonly referred to as daylight saving time.
64 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Secretary of
65 the United States Department of Transportation, the Utah Department of Transportation, and
66 the members of Utah’s congressional delegation.
