HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 800        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

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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 bill:

An Act establishing permanent standard time within the Commonwealth to promote sleep and health.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 800        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act establishing permanent standard time within the Commonwealth to promote sleep and health.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 4 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 10 and inserting in place thereof the following section: - 

Section 10. The standard time within the commonwealth shall be permanent standard time and shall be exempt from the advancement of time as provided by the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. section 260(a). This section shall apply: to all laws, statutes, orders, decrees, rules and regulations relating to the time of performance of any act by any officer or department of the commonwealth, or of any county, city, town or district thereof, or any other political subdivision thereof; to all laws, statutes, orders, decrees, rules and regulations relating to the time in which any rights shall accrue or determine, or within which any act shall or shall not be performed by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the commonwealth; in all the public schools and in all institutions of the commonwealth, or of any county, city, town or district thereof, or any other political subdivision thereof; and in all contracts or choses in action made or to be performed in the commonwealth.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect: (i) upon enactment by law of a permanent year-round “U.S. Eastern Standard Time” in the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, in substantially the same form as section 1; and (ii) upon a date agreed upon by all 5 states.