Establishes the "Daylight Saving as New Standard Time Pact"
Summary
HB 1179 would create the "Daylight Saving as New Standard Time Pact" and authorize Missouri to join with other states that want to permanently change daylight saving time to a new standard time. The bill exempts all areas of Missouri from the federal daylight saving time provisions in 15 U.S.C. Section 260a and states that, on the effective date, Missouri would switch clocks to daylight saving time for the last time. After that point, daylight saving time would be eliminated in Missouri, and the time formerly known as daylight saving time would become the state’s standard time.
The bill also includes a contingency for federal action: if the federal government later adopts daylight saving time as the new standard time, Missouri would adjust its clocks to conform to that federal standard. In practical terms, the measure is aimed at ending the twice-yearly clock change in Missouri and aligning the state’s timekeeping rules with a permanent daylight-saving-based schedule, subject to federal law and any future federal changes.
Impact
HB 1179 would amend Chapter 1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes by adding a new section, section 1.355, governing state observance of daylight saving time. It would affect state timekeeping policy, Missouri’s relationship to federal daylight saving time law, and any public and private entities that rely on official state time standards, including schools, employers, transportation, utilities, and government operations. The bill would not directly alter tax, labor, or licensing statutes, but it would change the legal basis for clock-setting in Missouri and could require administrative and operational adjustments across sectors.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the bill appears to be presented as a straightforward policy change with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. The caption and language suggest a pro-change or reform-oriented approach to timekeeping, with the goal of permanently ending seasonal clock changes. Because no transcripts or vote history are available, there is no documented opposition or support in the supplied record, and the overall sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s clear intent to simplify or standardize time observance.
Contention
The main point of contention likely concerns whether Missouri should permanently abandon the current daylight saving time system and how that choice would interact with federal law. The bill’s exemption from federal daylight saving provisions and its fallback clause if the federal government changes the standard time indicate that legal compatibility with federal time rules is a central issue. Potential concerns may also include the practical effects on daily schedules, interstate coordination, and whether the state should adopt permanent daylight saving time versus permanent standard time, although no specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided materials.