SJR 101

SJR101 192960-2 By Senators Glover, Williams, Scofield, Livingston, Reed, Melson, Smith, Albritton, Coleman-Madison, Beasley, Allen, Chambliss, Bussman, Waggoner, Ward, Figures, McClendon, Marsh, Shelnutt, Orr, Stutts, Holtzclaw, Hightower, Singleton and Dunn RFD: Rules First Read: 13-MAR-18 SJR101 SJR101 ENROLLED, SJR101, URGING CONGRESS TO PERMANENTLY ADOPT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME. WHEREAS, the history of changing clocks relative to the sun for political reasons originated with Benjamin Franklin, who proposed re-orienting the time to increase productivity as an elaborate practical joke; and WHEREAS, the United States has used some version of Daylight Saving Time since 1918 when it was rushed into place as a wartime measure after Germany and then England enacted a similar scheme; and WHEREAS, after World War I, local jurisdictions had some control over how they set their clocks until the passage of the Uniform Time Act of 1966, at which point the Federal Department of Transportation was given ultimate authority; and WHEREAS, Daylight Saving Time has proven highly beneficial in the early spring, late fall, and summer months for health, commerce, recreation, and much more, making it highly popular among businesses and the general population; and SJR101 WHEREAS, some researchers have concluded that the act of changing the clocks twice per year is a cause of deadly heart attacks, traffic accidents, and a loss of productivity; and WHEREAS, some researchers have determined that remaining in Daylight Saving Time year round will save significant amounts of energy in November and February and furthermore will lead to a decrease in childhood obesity by increasing the amount of sunlight after school hours; and WHEREAS, although the rationale for switching clocks twice per year to aid in the war effort, while based on faulty science, was laudable nearly 100 years ago, much of the scientific research and public sentiment now favor remaining in Daylight Saving Time year round; now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That it is the sentiment of this legislative body and of the people represented by the Alabama Legislature that the United States should permanently adopt what is now Daylight Saving Time as the new standard for time in the United States year round. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be delivered to the legislative leaders in all of the other 49 states urging them to pass a resolution with essentially similar wording. SJR101 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, and the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation urging them to allow all requesting states to switch to permanent Daylight Saving Time at a uniform date to minimize confusion and disruption to transportation and commerce, and further to allow those states that have not passed this resolution a chance to add themselves to the list of those states endorsing this resolution to forever put an end to the deadly, energy-wasting, productivity-killing, twice-yearly changing of time. SJR101 President and Presiding Officer of the Senate Speaker of the House of Representatives SJR101 Senate 15-MAR-18 I hereby certify that the within Senate Joint Resolution originated in and was adopted by the Senate. Patrick Harris, Secretary. House of Representatives Adopted: 21-MAR-18 By: Senator Glover