BILL ANALYSIS
AJR 56
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 15, 2000
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
Roderick Wright, Chair
AJR 56 (Longville) - As Introduced: March 29, 2000
SUBJECT : Daylight saving time.
SUMMARY : Memorializes the President and the Congress to enact
legislation to allow states the opportunity to implement
year-round daylight saving time (DST). Specifically, this bill :
1)Provides a history of DST in the United States.
1)States that US House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce
Committee Report Number 99-185 lists numerous benefits to DST,
including energy conservation, improved traffic safety,
reduction in crime, economic growth, and public support.
1)States that precedence exists for Congress to modify the times
and options prescribed by Federal statute and daylight saving
time to allow flexibility.
1)Memorializes the United States Congress and the President of
the United States to enact legislation to allow states the
opportunity to choose year-round daylight saving time, in
addition to standard time or the current system of
"traditional" daylight saving time.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Federal statute requires that DST begins at 2 am on the first
Sunday of April and ends at 2 am on the last Sunday of
October, and exempts states from DST whose legislatures vote
to retain year-round standard time or, for states that are in
two or more time zones, exempts part of the state that is in
one time zone while providing that the part of the state in
the other time zone observes DST.
1)State law defines United States Standard Pacific Time, DST,
and requires California to implement DST.
FISCAL EFFECT : None.
AJR 56
Page 2
COMMENTS :
1)According to the author, the purpose of this resolution is to
call on the Federal government to expand the options available
to states regarding DST. Currently, states have the option of
either implementing year-round "standard time" or alternating
DST and standard time during the year. California, along with
a majority of other states, moves its clocks forward one hour
in the spring and back one hour in the fall to provide an
extended period of daylight during the summer months. This is
known as DST. During the remainder of the year, the state
operates under "Pacific Standard Time (PST)." In the United
States, DST is not observed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam,
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Eastern Time Zone portion
of the State of Indiana, and by most of Arizona (with the
exception of the Navajo Indian Reservation).
1)The United States historically has implemented year-round DST
during the two World Wars. In 1966, Congress passed the
Uniform Time Act (P.L. 89-387), which mandated standard time
within the established time zones and provided for DST from
the last Sunday in April until the last Sunday in October.
During the energy crisis of the 1970s, emergency legislation
(P.L. 93-182) enacted in late 1973 put the United States on
year-round DST for a two-year period. In 1974, based on
recommendations from the US Department of Transportation
(DOT), the legislation was amended so that DST lasted only 10
months, and in 1975 lasted eight months. The DOT, in a report
to Congress on the effects of the legislation, concluded that
observing DST in March and April saved the equivalent of
100,000 barrels of oil a day, prevented traffic injuries, and
reduced crime.
1)The main reason that DST is observed is because it saves
energy. The California Energy Commission indicates that in
the average home 25 percent of all electricity is used for
lighting and small appliances. A large percentage of energy
consumed by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when
people are home. Because DST reduces the period between when
the sun sets and bedtime for most people, less electricity is
used for lighting and appliances late in the day.
Additionally, studies in the 1970s by the DOT inferred, "DST
results in probable electricity savings of one percent in (the
months of) March and April."
AJR 56
Page 3
1)The advantages of DST do not extend to the darkest months of
the year, however. During the winter months (November,
December, January, and February), the afternoon advantage is
offset by the need for more light in the morning hours since
the sun rises later in the day. By advancing clocks one hour
during these months, sunrise would be delayed another hour
into the morning. Studies show that nearly 70 percent of all
Americans rise prior to 7 am during the workweek. Therefore,
would the energy used during the additional hour of darkness
in the morning offset the energy saved by the additional hour
of daylight in the afternoon?
1)Additionally, extending DST to the winter months raises safety
issues. Although DST allows more people to travel from school
and work during daylight hours, they will be travelling to
school and work in the dark. Extending DST to the winter
months could increase the morning hazards, such as increased
incidence of accidents and crime, and travelling to school and
work in the dark.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Jonathan Buttle / U. & C. / (916)
319-2083