03/12/2024 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

             SB 184-ELIMINATE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:33:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL  NO. 184                                                              
"An  Act  exempting  the  state from  daylight  saving  time;  and                                                              
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
The  intention  is  to  adopt  a  Senate  Community  and  Regional                                                              
Affairs committee  substitute (CS), take questions  from committee                                                              
members, and look to the will of the committee.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited a motion.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:33:56 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL moved  to adopt the committee substitute  (CS) for                                                              
SB 184, work order 33-LS1037\B, as the working document.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:34:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  objected for the  purpose of discussion.  He invited                                                              
Senator  Kawasaki  to make  closing  remarks  and Mr.  Sukkaew  to                                                              
present the summary of changes.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:34:37 PM                                                                                                                    
GRIFFEN  SUKKAEW,  Staff,  Senator Scott  Kawasaki,  Alaska  State                                                              
Legislature,   Juneau,  Alaska,   presented  the  explanation   of                                                              
changes from version A to B on SB 184.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
      Section 2: Changes the Effective Date from July 31,                                                                       
        2024 to November 4, 2024 in accordance with the                                                                         
     Uniform Time Act of 1966.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:35:11 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   DUNBAR  removed   his   objection.   Finding  no   further                                                              
objection, CSSB 184 was adopted as the working document.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:35:40 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  SCOTT KAWASAKI,  District  P, Alaska  State  Legislature,                                                              
Juneau, Alaska, made  closing remarks on SB 184,  emphasizing that                                                              
the decision  to adopt  Daylight  Savings Time  is complex  due to                                                              
its  varied  impact  on individuals.  He  highlighted  health  and                                                              
economic  concerns tied  to  the change  and  noted that  Alaska's                                                              
vast size  and latitude  cause significant  differences in  sunset                                                              
times,  affecting  businesses.   He  expressed  gratitude  to  the                                                              
committee for considering SB 184.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:36:52 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BJORKMAN  stated that  the  Alaska State  Association  of                                                              
Bankers opposes SB  184 due to concerns about its  impact on their                                                              
ability  to conduct  business. He  explained  that the  opposition                                                              
stems  from the  need to  operate during  critical business  hours                                                              
aligned with the East Coast.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:37:36 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GIESSEL  stated she  has prior  experience with  the issue                                                              
at  hand and  predicts  opposition from  the  chambers. She  noted                                                              
that similar opposition  prevented a prior bill  from passing that                                                              
was introduced  by former Senator  Anna McKinnon. She  opined that                                                              
in  an  electronic  age,  economic   activities,  including  stock                                                              
exchanges  and   international  transactions,  can   be  conducted                                                              
smoothly online.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:38:22 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON recalled  agreeing with  an audience  member                                                              
during  the  last  hearing  about   favoring  Standard  Time  over                                                              
Daylight Savings  Time. However,  she stated  she is now  happy to                                                              
see Daylight Savings Time move forward.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:38:51 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  DUNBAR stated  that since  a debate  on the  floor may  not                                                              
occur, he  supports the points raised  by Senator Bjorkman  in the                                                              
last  hearing  about  the  impact of  moving  away  from  Daylight                                                              
Savings Time  on after-work recreation.  He noted he  would likely                                                              
have  supported a  bill for  permanent Daylight  Savings Time.  He                                                              
said  it  is   the  biannual  time  change  that   he  finds  most                                                              
disruptive to health  and constituents. He clarified  that staying                                                              
on  permanent  Daylight  Savings  Time is  not  legally  possible,                                                              
making this  the only  option to  end the  time changes.  He urged                                                              
moving SB 184 forward.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNBAR solicited the will of the committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:39:49 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GIESSEL  moved  to  report   CSSB  184,  work  order  33-                                                              
LS1037\B,  from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and                                                              
attached zero fiscal note(s).                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:40:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNBAR  found no  objection and  CSSB 184(CRA) was  reported                                                              
from   the  Senate   Community  and   Regional  Affairs   Standing                                                              
Committee.