SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2227        FILED ON: 9/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2040

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John F. Keenan, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying resolve:

Resolve relative to studying the impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2227        FILED ON: 9/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2040

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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Resolve relative to studying the impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone.

Resolved, SECTION 1.  (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a special commission is hereby established to conduct a comprehensive study relative to the practical, economic, fiscal, and health related impacts of changing the Massachusetts time zone from the eastern time zone to the atlantic standard time zone.  Said study shall focus on the impact to local and regional economies, public education, public health, transportation, energy consumption, commerce and trade if the time zone is altered. The commission shall report on its findings and make recommendations to the general court on whether it would be beneficial for the commonwealth to enter into the atlantic standard time zone.

The commission shall consist of 8 members: 1 member of the senate who shall be the chair of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies or a designee who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member of the house of representatives who shall be the chair of the joint committee on public health or a designee who shall serve as co-chair of the commission; 1 member of the senate who shall be chair of the joint committee on transportation or a designee; 1 member of the house of representatives who shall be chair of the joint committee on education or a designee; the secretary of the executive office of education or a designee; the undersecretary of the office of consumer affairs and business regulation or a designee; the secretary of health and human services or a designee; and the secretary of transportation or a designee;

(b) The commission shall convene its first meeting on or before January 1, 2016 and shall submit its final report, along with any recommendations for legislative reforms no later than January 1, 2017, to be filed with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives who shall forward a copy of the report to the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, the joint committee on public health, and the joint committee on education.   

(c) The commission shall be dissolved within 180 days after the submission of the final commission report pursuant to subsection (b).