Minnesota Senate Bill SF2403

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/13/25
• Refer: 3/13/25

Caption

Recognition provision of federal standard time year-round beginning in 2025 and expiring upon enactment of a federal law authorization states to recognize advanced standard time year-round

Summary

SF2403 amends Minnesota’s general time-reference statute to provide that, beginning in 2025, the state will recognize federal standard time year-round. The bill updates Minnesota Statutes section 645.071 so that references to time in state law must be construed in accordance with federal standard time or advanced standard time as provided by federal law, and it prohibits state and local governments from adopting any other time standard. The measure is framed as a temporary state policy that applies only until a future federal law authorizes states to recognize advanced standard time year-round. The bill’s practical effect is to align Minnesota law with a year-round standard-time framework starting with the 2025 transition, while preserving the state’s ability to follow any future federal change allowing year-round advanced standard time. It would affect how state agencies and local governments reference official time in ordinances, orders, and legal interpretations, but it does not create a new time zone or directly alter private conduct beyond the legal recognition of time standards.

Impact

SF2403 would amend Minnesota Statutes section 645.071, the statute governing how time is recognized in state law, to require use of federal standard time year-round beginning in 2025. It would also bar state departments and local governments from using any other time standard in law or ordinance. The bill is temporary in nature, expiring when a later federal-law-triggered change takes effect, so its main legal impact is to create a transitional statewide time standard tied to federal law and to preempt local deviations.

Sentiment

The available record suggests the bill is largely procedural and technical, with no committee transcript or recorded votes indicating strong opposition or support. The authorship by a bipartisan group of senators suggests an effort to address timekeeping policy in a broadly acceptable way. Because there is no recorded debate in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral to mildly favorable, centered on administrative clarity rather than controversy.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. In general, bills involving daylight saving time and standard time can raise disagreements about whether the state should remain on standard time, adopt year-round daylight saving time, or wait for federal action. Here, the main policy issue is the choice to recognize federal standard time year-round beginning in 2025 while leaving open the possibility of future advanced standard time if authorized by federal law. Any disagreement would likely come from stakeholders with differing preferences on permanent standard time versus permanent daylight saving time, but none are identified in the available record.