04/29/2025 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

              SB  26-ELIMINATE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:33:23 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL NO. 26                                                               
"An   Act   petitioning   the   United   States   Department   of                                                               
Transportation to change the time  zones of Alaska; exempting the                                                               
state from daylight  saving time; and providing  for an effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:33:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI  opened public testimony  on SB 26;  finding none,                                                               
he closed public testimony.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:34:21 PM                                                                                                                    
KERRY  CROCKER,  Staff,  Senator   Kelly  Merrick,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, presented  a brief  recap of  SB 26                                                               
and would  permanently exempt Alaska from  daylight savings time,                                                               
keeping  the state  on standard  time year-round  and eliminating                                                               
clock changes. SB  26 also seeks federal approval  to move Alaska                                                               
to Pacific Standard Time, aligning the state with Seattle.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:35:16 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BJORKMAN asked  if the  exemption from  daylight savings                                                               
time and the shift to  Pacific Time occur simultaneously, and how                                                               
are the two changes connected.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:35:31 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  CROCKER  replied  if  SB  26 was  passed,  the  state  would                                                               
petition the  U.S. Department of  Transportation (DOT)  to review                                                               
the time  zone change request,  hold public meetings and  reach a                                                               
decision within a year based on the convenience of commerce.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:36:25 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BJORKMAN  asked whether  Alaska would change  to standard                                                               
time while waiting for DOT to decide.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:36:35 PM                                                                                                                    
MR.  CROCKER responded  no, the  State  of Alaska  would stay  on                                                               
current time until DOT decided                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:37:03 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:37:04 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON  moved to  report  SB  26, work  order  34-                                                               
LS0267\A,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:37:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAWASAKI  found no  objection and SB  26 was  reported from                                                               
the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.