BILL NUMBER: S297
SPONSOR: OBERACKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to establish a task force to study the effects of New York state
opting out of daylight saving time
 
PURPOSE:
To convene a commission of the commissioners of health, agriculture and
markets, and economic development, or their designees, to study the
impact and effects of daylight saving time.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 authorizes and directs the secretary of state to convene the
commission.
Section 2 states the study shall include, at minimum, the history, rele-
vant studies, economic impact, health impacts, relevant positions and
legislation from neighboring states and the federal government, and
regulations affected by daylight saving time.
Section 3 states the study must be completed and reported on by April 1,
2026. Section 4 states the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Twice every year New Yorkers are subjected to seasonally adjusting their
clocks by one hour. The time changes may cause confusion, affect sleep
cycles and health, and have an economic effect. One study by Chmura
Economics and Analytics estimates a $433 million cost to the American
economy from the time change. Currently, in the United States, most of
Hawaii and Arizona as well as the territories of American Samoa, Guam,
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands do not
observe daylight saving time.
The bill will help answer questions about the effects of daylight saving
time and whether New York should continue to observe it by requiring the
secretary of state to convene a commission consisting of the commission-
ers of health, agriculture and markets, and economic development, or
their designees. The secretary of state must report any findings and
recommendations to the governor and legislature by April 1, 2026.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S1007 of 2023-2024
S.5371/A.3837 of 2021-2022
S.3928/A1690 of 2019-2020
S.8195 of 2017-2018
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Minimal.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate