AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-401, relative to time.
Summary
HB2071 would change Tennessee’s time observance law to require the state and its political subdivisions to remain on standard time year-round, beginning on the second Sunday in March of 2027. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 4-1-401 by deleting the current subsection and replacing it with language directing the state to observe standard time at all times throughout the year, rather than switching between standard time and daylight saving time.
The bill is a statewide time policy measure that would affect all state and local government operations in Tennessee, as well as residents and businesses that rely on the state’s official time standard. It references federal law governing standard time, and its practical effect would be to eliminate seasonal clock changes in Tennessee if enacted and implemented as written.
Impact
HB2071 would amend Tennessee’s existing time statute, Tennessee Code Annotated § 4-1-401, to require permanent observance of standard time by the state and its political subdivisions starting in March 2027. This would override the current practice of alternating between standard time and daylight saving time for state and local purposes, and would affect government scheduling, public institutions, and any entities that follow state time policy. The bill does not itself change federal law, but it relies on federal standard-time provisions as the governing reference.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text alone and the absence of committee transcripts or recorded votes, the available record does not show a documented debate or divided vote on HB2071. The measure appears to be a straightforward policy proposal focused on ending seasonal time changes in Tennessee. Without discussion or voting history, no clear support or opposition can be inferred from the provided materials.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials because there are no committee transcripts or votes available. In general, bills like this can raise questions about whether a state should remain on standard time year-round, how that would align with neighboring states and federal law, and what effects it would have on commerce, school schedules, and daily routines, but none of those issues are attributed to any participant in the record here.