WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 106

Senators Cline, Baldwin, Stollings, Rucker, Romano, and Facemire, original sponsors

[Originating in the Committee on Government Organization; reported on February 21, 2020]

A BILL to amend and reenact §5-1-25 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to making daylight saving time the official time in West Virginia year round.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 1. THE GOVERNOR.

§5-1-25. Designation of daylight saving time as official time.

(a) Under federal law as it exists on the effective date of this section, states are not permitted to observe daylight saving time year round. If the United States Congress amends 15 U.S.C §260a of the federal law to authorize states to observe daylight saving time year round, the Legislature intends that the State of West Virginia make daylight saving time the permanent time of the state.

(b) Daylight saving shall be the statewide official time, commencing at 2 o’clock antemeridian on the second Sunday of March 2020. following the effective date of federal authorization to observe daylight saving time year round: Provided, That if the effective date of federal authorization to observe daylight saving time year round occurs on or after February 1 but before the second Sunday in March, this bill will take effect on the second Sunday of March the following year. This time shall apply to all public schools, institutions of higher learning, agencies, departments, and political subdivisions of the state.

(c) The Secretary of State shall monitor the enactment of any federal law that permits the year round observation of daylight saving time. If the law is enacted, the secretary shall send  written notice of the effective date to the Governor, who will announce the enacted law to all affected parties.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to make daylight saving time in West Virginia the official time for the entire year.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.