Two new states have legislation regarding Daylight Saving Time filed this past week: South Dakota and New Mexico. This brings the count of states with active legislation to nine.
Arizona HB 2014 proposed to adopt DST in the state, after not having DST since 1968, but public pressure on the bill’s sponsor prompted him to withdraw his bill. Time Zone Report also anticipated legislation from Alabama, but after conferring with the governor’s office, the potential sponsor of the bill decided not to submit it, because his proposal to go on Year-Round DST in Alabama would have been counter to the provisions of the US Code regarding “Standard Time”, which covers DST as well.
South Dakota’s bill would eliminate DST in the state, but as written and introduced to the legislature, the bill does not yet specify an implementation or start date.
New Mexico’s legislation is the oddest proposal we’ve seen to date, topping Utah’s SCR 1 which asks the US Department of Transportation to change the state’s time zone from Mountain to Central. New Mexico’s bill asks the same of the US DOT, but further goes on to propose that the state call their time Mountain Daylight Saving Time — in spite of the request to move to Central Standard Time.
Time Zone Report is in the process of contacting sponsoring legislators in these and other states, attempting to keep everyone up-to-date on DST legislation across the US. It looks like we’re going to be busy the next couple of weeks!