What's happening
This bill directs New York to seek federal approval to observe the Atlantic Time Zone, contingent on neighboring states doing the same.
Why it matters
Regional coordination is required. The change to Atlantic Time will only occur if Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania pass similar laws, ensuring that New York doesn’t shift time zones alone and disrupt regional economic and social activities.
Potential impact on daily life and business. Moving to Atlantic Time would effectively shift daily schedules one hour forward compared to Eastern Time, affecting school start times, business hours, television schedules, and travel itineraries, with potential ripple effects on everything from work-life balance to energy consumption.
Federal approval is needed. Even with state-level changes, the shift won't happen unless the federal government approves New York’s application, highlighting the complex state-federal relationship regarding time zone regulation.
Legal and administrative clarity. The bill amends both state and New York City laws to reflect the new time zone and daylight saving transition dates, which helps to ensure all legal, public, and official proceedings are synchronized if the change occurs, minimizing confusion across courts, government offices, and public institutions.
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Who cares
New York secretary of state
Would have to apply for federal approval to observe Atlantic Time once Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania enact legislation having an identical effect.
New York courts and public officers
Would have to regulate legal and official proceedings by Atlantic Time after federal approval and the specified November start date.
New York City public offices
Would follow revised city time rules using Atlantic Time while retaining seasonal clock changes on the second Sunday in March and first Sunday in November.
Headline styles
Switch to Atlantic Time
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 39
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to judiciary
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7080
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2020
Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the general construction law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to observing Atlantic time
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The secretary of state shall develop and submit an application to the federal government requesting that the state observe the Atlantic Time Zone.
§ 2. Section 52 of the general construction law, as amended by chapter 377 of the laws of 1955, is amended to read as follows:
§ 52. Time, standard. 1. The standard time throughout this state is that of the [seventy-fifth] sixtieth meridian of longitude west from Greenwich, except as hereinafter provided, and all courts and public officers, and legal and official proceedings, shall be regulated thereby.
2. At two o'clock ante meridian on the [last] second Sunday in [April] March of each year the standard time throughout this state shall be advanced one hour from that of the [seventy-fifth] sixtieth meridian of longitude west from Greenwich, and the time so advanced shall continue to be standard time throughout this state until the [last] first Sunday in [October] November of the same year, when such standard time, as so advanced, shall be retarded to that of the [seventy-fifth] sixtieth meridian west from Greenwich; and during such period in each year all courts and public officers, and legal and official proceedings, shall be regulated in accordance therewith.
§ 3. Section 2-106 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows:
§ 2-106 Daylight saving time; effect thereof on public proceedings. The standard time throughout the city of New York is that of the [seventy-fifth] sixtieth meridian of longitude west from Greenwich, except that at two o'clock ante-meridian of the [last] second Sunday in [April] March of each year such standard time throughout the city shall be
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14445-02-9
S. 7080 2
advanced one hour, and at two o'clock ante-meridian of the [last] first Sunday in [October] November of each year, such standard time shall, by the retarding of one hour, be returned to the mean astronomical time of the [seventy-fifth] sixtieth meridian of longitude west from Greenwich, and all courts, public offices and legal and official proceedings shall be regulated thereby.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section one of this act shall take effect upon the enactment into law by the states of Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania of legislation having an identical effect with this act, but if the states of Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania shall have already enacted such legislation, section one of this act shall take effect immediately; provided further, however, that sections two and three of this act shall take effect at two o'clock ante meridian on the first Sunday of November next succeeding the approval of an application by the state to the federal government requesting that the state observe the Atlantic Time Zone; provided that the secretary of state shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of the enactment of the legislation provided for in section one of this act and upon the occurrence of the approval of the application to the federal government requesting that the state observe the Atlantic Time Zone in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general construction law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to observing Atlantic time
Purpose
To move New York state to Atlantic Standard Time, which would mean later sunsets in the winter.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Directs the secretary of state to develop and submit an application to the federal government requesting that New York observe Atlantic Standard Time. This section of the law would only take effect if Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania pass similar legislation regarding a switch to Atlantic Standard Time.
Section 2: Makes technical changes to Section 52 of the General Construction Law to bring it into compliance with existing federal law.
Section 3: Makes technical changes to Section 2-106 of the Administra- tive Code of the City of New York to bring it into compliance with existing federal law.
Section 4: Effective date.
Justification
The seasonal switch back and forth from daylight saving time causes productivity losses and leads to an increased risk of car accidents, health complications, and other damaging consequences. This switch is compounded by New York's position in the Eastern Standard Time Zone. If the state switched to Atlantic Standard Time, sunsets would be an hour later each day, a change would be especially helpful in the winter, when the sun would no longer set before 5pm. Unlike a shift to permanent daylight saving time, which must be approved by an act of Congress, a shift to a different time zone can be approved through a regulatory process by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Legislative history
New bill
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, except that section one will only take effect upon the enactment into law by the states of Connecti- cut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania of legislation having an identical effect with this act and sections two and three will only take effect if the federal government approves the application to switch to Atlantic Standard Time referenced in section one.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.