1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor calls for an amendment
12 to federal law to allow Utah to remain on mountain daylight time year-round and, in the
13 alternative, the change of Utah's designated time zone to central standard time.
14 Highlighted Provisions:
15 This resolution:
16 ▸ urges Utah's congressional delegation to introduce legislation that amends federal
17 law to allow states to remain on daylight saving time year-round;
18 ▸ urges the United States Congress to amend federal law to allow states to remain on
19 daylight saving time year-round;
20 ▸ intends, contingent on the passage of federal legislation, that Utah exempt the state
21 from mountain standard time and remain on mountain daylight time year-round;
22 ▸ directs the Utah Department of Transportation to create and submit an application to
23 the United States Department of Transportation to change Utah's designated time
24 zone from mountain standard time to central standard time;
25 ▸ urges the United States Department of Transportation to approve the state's
26 application to change the designated time zone; and
27 ▸ intends, contingent on the approval of Utah's application for the state's transfer of
28 designated time zone, that Utah opt out of daylight saving time and observe central
29 standard time year-round.
30 Special Clauses:
31 None
32
33 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
34 WHEREAS, the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 261, divides the United
35 States of America into multiple sections and designates a time zone for each section;
36 WHEREAS, under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260(a), Utah has the
37 authority to exempt the state from the provisions of daylight saving time to remain on mountain
38 standard time year-round;
39 WHEREAS, under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260(b), Utah is
40 prohibited from exempting the state from standard time to remain on mountain daylight time
41 year-round or moving the state to central standard time, the equivalent of mountain daylight
42 time;
43 WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation is vested with the
44 authority to designate the limits of each time zone and change the designated time zone of a
45 state under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 261, if the change is in the
46 "convenience of commerce";
47 WHEREAS, the Legislature and the Governor have determined that it is in the
48 economic and commercial interest of the citizens of Utah to either exempt Utah from standard
49 time to remain on mountain daylight time or change Utah's designated time zone from
50 mountain standard time to central standard time and exempt the state from daylight saving time
51 to remain on Central Standard Time year-round;
52 WHEREAS, Utah's exemption from standard time in the mountain time zone or the
53 adoption of central standard time is in the interest of the United States;
54 WHEREAS, the exemption from standard time in the mountain time zone or the
55 adoption of central standard time would increase, for one hour, daylight in the evening hours;
56 WHEREAS, one extra hour of daylight in the evening will reduce household and
57 commercial energy use, reduce traffic accidents, increase commercial activity, and increase the
58 tax base of Utah and the United States;
59 WHEREAS, the exemption from standard time in the mountain time zone or the
60 adoption of central standard time would further provide for the "convenience of commerce,"
61 within that term's meaning in the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 261; and
62 WHEREAS, if the United States Congress amends the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15
63 U.S.C. Sec. 260, to allow states to choose to remain on daylight saving time year-round, the
64 Legislature intends to enact legislation, in accordance with the amended federal law, that would
65 exempt Utah from mountain standard time to remain on mountain daylight time year-round;
66 and
67 WHEREAS, if the United States Department of Transportation changes Utah's time
68 zone designation to Central Standard Time, the Legislature intends to enact legislation, in
69 accordance with the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260(a), that would exempt
70 Utah from daylight saving time and allow the state to remain on central standard time
71 year-round:
72 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
73 Governor concurring therein, urges Utah's congressional delegation to introduce legislation to
74 amend the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260, to allow states to choose to remain
75 on daylight saving time year-round.
76 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon the passing of federal legislation to amend
77 the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 260, to allow states to choose to remain on
78 daylight saving time year-round, Utah shall adopt and observe mountain daylight time
79 year-round.
80 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor, in the
81 alternative, direct the Utah Department of Transportation to create an application before
82 January 1, 2019, in accordance with the United States Department of Transportation's policies
83 and procedures and 15 U.S.C. Sec. 261, to change the state of Utah's designated time zone
84 from its current designation of mountain standard time to central standard time.
85 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor certify that the
86 application to the United States Department of Transportation that the Utah Department of
87 Transportation creates under the direction of this concurrent resolution is created and submitted
88 with the approval of, and on behalf of, the Legislature and Governor of this state.
89 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge the United
90 States Department of Transportation to approve Utah's application to change from the
91 designation of mountain standard time to central standard time.
92 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon approval of the application to the United
93 States Department of Transportation, Utah shall adopt and observe central standard time.
94 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Secretary of
95 the United States Department of Transportation, the Executive Director of the Utah
96 Department of Transportation, and the members of Utah's congressional delegation.