Sunshine Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 69; 117th Congress)

by Vern Buchanan

117th CONGRESS
1st Session

H.R. 69

To make daylight savings time permanent, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 4, 2021

Mr. Buchanan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To make daylight savings time permanent, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Sunshine Protection Act of 2021”.

SEC. 2. MAKING DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME PERMANENT.

(a) Repeal Of Temporary Period For Daylight Savings Time.—Section 3 of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. 260a) is hereby repealed.

(b) Advancement Of Standard Time.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The second sentence of subsection (a) of section 1 of the Act of March 19, 1918 (commonly known as the “Calder Act”) (15 U.S.C. 261), is amended—

(A) by striking “4 hours” and inserting “3 hours”;

(B) by striking “5 hours” and inserting “4 hours”;

(C) by striking “6 hours” and inserting “5 hours”;

(D) by striking “7 hours” and inserting “6 hours”;

(E) by striking “8 hours” and inserting “by 7 hours”;

(F) by striking “9 hours” and inserting “8 hours”;

(G) by striking “10 hours;” and inserting “9 hours;”;

(H) by striking “11 hours” and inserting “10 hours”; and

(I) by striking “10 hours.” and inserting “11 hours.”.

(2) STATE EXEMPTION.—Such section is further amended by—

(A) redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and

(B) inserting after subsection (a) the following:

“(b) Standard Time For Certain States And Areas.—The standard time for a State that has exempted itself from the provisions of section 3(a) of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. 260a(a)), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, pursuant to such section, or an area of a State that has exempted such area from such provisions pursuant to such section, shall be, as such State considers appropriate—

“(1) the standard time for such State or area, as the case may be, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; or

“(2) the standard time for such State or area, as the case may be, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section as it was in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021”..”.

(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Such section is further amended, in the second sentence of subsection (a), by striking “Except as provided in section 3(a) of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. 260a),” and inserting “Except as provided in subsection (b),”.