This bill proposes that New Jersey establish permanent daylight saving time, allowing the state to remain on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) year-round, contingent upon federal authorization. The legislation highlights the historical context of daylight saving time in the U.S., noting that the biannual time change has become disruptive to the daily lives and health of residents. It references various studies indicating that the transition between standard and daylight saving time can negatively impact commerce, safety, and well-being, and emphasizes that New Jersey residents have adapted to the longer duration of daylight saving time.

To implement this change, the bill includes an amendment to R.S.1:1-2.3, which modifies the definition of standard time in New Jersey by deleting the previous reference to the seventy-fifth meridian west from Greenwich and inserting that the standard time shall be Coordinated Universal Time minus four hours, effectively designating it as Eastern Daylight Time. The bill stipulates that it will take effect immediately for certain sections, while others will activate on the first Sunday in November following federal approval for states to observe daylight saving time year-round.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 5:5-38, 49:3-61.2