NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8106
SPONSOR: Vanel TITLE OF BILL:
An act to establish a task force to study the effects of New York state
opting out of daylight saving time; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon the expiration thereof
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Establishes a task force to study NYS opting out of daylight savings.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 establishes an eight person task force, outlines their duties,
and when the taskforce should produce a report on their findings about
the effects of New York State opting out of daylight savings time.
Section 2 states that the act shall take effect immediately.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSIONS:
Technical amendments.
JUSTIFICATION:
One hundred years ago, in 1918, Daylight savings was started to save
energy, but overtime, different states have been in favor of daylight
savings for different reasons. The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005
gives every state or territory the right to opt out of using daylight
savings. In the United States America Hawaii, Arizona and all of the
external territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin
Islands do net follow daylight savings. Proponents of Daylight Savings
Time generally argue that it saves energy, promotes outdoor leisure
activity in the evening, and is therefore good for physical and psycho-
logical health, reduces traffic accidents, reduces crime or is good for
business. Groups that tend to support it are urban workers, retail busi-
nesses, outdoor sports enthusiasts and businesses, tourism operators,
and others who benefit from having more hours of light after the end of
a typical workday in the warmer months. Opponents argue that actual
energy savings are inconclusive, that Daylight Savings Time increases
health risks such as heart attack, that Daylight Savings Time can
disrupt morning activities, and that the act of changing clocks twice a
year is economically and socially disruptive and cancels out any bene-
fit.
This bill would create a task force to study the effects of extending
daylight savings in New York State.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
01/28/21 referred to governmental operations
01/05/22 referred to governmental operations
01/26/23 referred to governmental operations
01/03/24 referred to ways and means
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8106
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 30, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. VANEL -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to establish a task force to study the effects of New York state
opting out of daylight saving time; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon the expiration thereof
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. The members of the task force shall serve
6 without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for all
7 necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
8 b. The task force shall be comprised of:
9 (i) two members appointed by the governor;
10 (ii) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
11 (iii) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
12 (iv) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and
13 (v) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
14 c. The task force shall:
15 (i) examine and evaluate the potential health risks associated with
16 daylight saving time, such as heart attack;
17 (ii) identify the potential effects of daylight saving on morning
18 activities;
19 (iii) establish whether the act of changing clocks twice a year is
20 economically and/or socially disruptive;
21 (iv) identify the potential effects of daylight saving time on traffic
22 and crime;
23 (v) establish whether daylight saving time currently provides a bene-
24 fit to this state;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01115-02-5
A. 8106 2
1 (vi) examine the history of daylight saving time;
2 (vii) examine any relevant studies on daylight saving time;
3 (viii) evaluate the positions and potential legislation from neighbor-
4 ing states and the federal government on daylight saving time;
5 (ix) identify regulations that are affected by daylight saving time
6 and that would be affected by the elimination of daylight saving time;
7 and
8 (x) make recommendations on whether this state should opt out or
9 continue to utilize daylight saving time.
10 d. Such task force shall submit a report, on or before April 1, 2026,
11 to the governor and the legislature of its findings, conclusions and
12 recommendations, and legislative and regulatory proposals deemed neces-
13 sary to implement such recommendations.
14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire December
15 31, 2027 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed
16 repealed.
