What's happening
This bill creates a task force to study the effects and implications of New York State opting out of daylight saving time.
Why it matters
The task force will thoroughly analyze health, economic, and social impacts. including risks like heart attacks, morning activity disruption, and whether clock changes are disruptive to New Yorkers’ lives or businesses.
It will review the effects of daylight saving time on public safety. , specifically looking at changes in traffic patterns and crime rates that might be affected by changing or eliminating the time shift.
The task force will consider both historical context and current research. , evaluating studies, the history of daylight saving time, and how neighboring states and the federal government are handling or considering changes to DST, which is crucial for regional coordination.
Ultimately, the group’s recommendations could influence whether New York keeps or eliminates daylight saving time. , potentially impacting everything from school schedules to the state’s alignment with interstate commerce and travel.
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Who cares
Governor and legislative leaders
They would appoint the eight-member task force and receive its findings and recommendations by April 1, 2026.
State agencies
Agency personnel would help study daylight saving time and identify regulations affected by its elimination.
Health advocates and medical professionals
The task force would examine potential health risks associated with daylight saving time, including heart attack.
Transportation and law enforcement agencies
The task force would study the potential effects of daylight saving time on traffic and crime.
Headline styles
Study Daylight Saving Change
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
297
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to establish a task force to study the effects of New York state opting out of daylight saving time
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. a. A task force, to be known as the task force on daylight saving time, is hereby established to study the effects of New York state opting out of daylight saving time. Such task force shall be comprised of appropriate state agency personnel and experts in the field of daylight saving time.
b. The task force shall be comprised of:
(i) two members appointed by the governor;
(ii) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
(iii) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
(iv) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and
(v) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
c. The task force shall:
(i) examine and evaluate the potential health risks associated with daylight saving time, such as heart attack;
(ii) identify the potential effects of daylight saving on morning activities;
(iii) establish whether the act of changing clocks twice a year is economically and/or socially disruptive;
(iv) identify the potential effects of daylight saving time on traffic and crime;
(v) establish whether daylight saving time currently provides a benefit to this state;
(vi) examine the history of daylight saving time;
(vii) examine any relevant studies on daylight saving time;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01115-01-5
(ix) evaluate the positions and potential legislation from neighboring states and the federal government on daylight saving time;
(x) identify regulations that are affected by daylight saving time and that would be affected by the elimination of daylight saving time; and
(xi) make recommendations on whether this state should opt out or continue to utilize daylight saving time.
d. Such task force shall submit a report, on or before April 1, 2026, to the governor and the legislature of its findings, conclusions and recommendations, and legislative and regulatory proposals deemed necessary to implement such recommendations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to establish a task force to study the effects of New York state opting out of daylight saving time
Purpose
To convene a commission of the commissioners of health, agriculture and markets, and economic development, or their designees, to study the impact and effects of daylight saving time.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 authorizes and directs the secretary of state to convene the commission.
Section 2 states the study shall include, at minimum, the history, rele- vant studies, economic impact, health impacts, relevant positions and legislation from neighboring states and the federal government, and regulations affected by daylight saving time.
Section 3 states the study must be completed and reported on by April 1, 2026. Section 4 states the effective date.
Justification
Twice every year New Yorkers are subjected to seasonally adjusting their clocks by one hour. The time changes may cause confusion, affect sleep cycles and health, and have an economic effect. One study by Chmura Economics and Analytics estimates a $433 million cost to the American economy from the time change. Currently, in the United States, most of Hawaii and Arizona as well as the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands do not observe daylight saving time.
The bill will help answer questions about the effects of daylight saving time and whether New York should continue to observe it by requiring the secretary of state to convene a commission consisting of the commission- ers of health, agriculture and markets, and economic development, or their designees. The secretary of state must report any findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature by April 1, 2026.
Legislative history
S1007 of 2023-2024
S.5371/A.3837 of 2021-2022
S.3928/A1690 of 2019-2020
S.8195 of 2017-2018
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
Immediate
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.