The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services offered the following
substitute to HB 154:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 1 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions relative to state government, so as to require the Governor to request that
the United States Secretary of Transportation place this state in the Atlantic standard time
zone; to provide for observance in this state of such standard time year round subject to
approval of the Governor's request and until such time as the United States Congress
authorizes the states to observe daylight saving time year round; to provide for a short title;
to provide for legislative findings; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Sunshine Protection Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 1 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general
provisions relative to state government, is amended by repealing Code Section 50-1-10,
relating to daylight savings time year round and contingent implementation, and enacting a
new Code Section 50-1-10 to read as follows:
<ins>"50-1-10.
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
(1) The citizens of Georgia would benefit from increased evening daylight for
commerce, recreation, and family activities;
(2) The twice-yearly change between standard time and daylight saving time disrupts
sleep, commerce, transportation scheduling, and school schedules;
(3) Congress has considered but has not enacted legislation authorizing states to observe
daylight saving time year round; and
(4) The State of Georgia should pursue lawful means to secure permanent daylight
saving time while maintaining alignment with national economic and transportation
systems.
(b) As used in this Code section, the term 'state' includes all political subdivisions thereof.
(c)(1) Not later than December 31, 2026, the Governor shall request that the United
States Secretary of Transportation place this state in the Atlantic standard time zone.
(2) Subject to the approval of such request by the United States Secretary of
Transportation and subsection (d) of this Code section, this state shall observe Atlantic
standard time year round as the standard time of the entire state and shall be exempt from
the advancement of clocks by one hour during designated periods, commonly known as
daylight saving time, as provided for in 15 U.S.C. Section 260a.
(d)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, if at any time the United
States Congress amends 15 U.S.C. Section 260a to authorize states to observe daylight
saving time year round, this state shall observe daylight saving time year round in the
eastern standard time zone as the standard time of this state.
(2) If this state is placed in the Atlantic standard time zone pursuant to subsection (c) of
this Code section prior to an authorization of the United States Congress as described in
paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Governor shall request that the United States
Secretary of Transportation place this state in the eastern standard time zone, and
</ins>
<ins>paragraph (1) of this subsection shall become effective only upon approval of such
request."
</ins> SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.