Assembly Joint Resolution No. 5–Assemblymen Gibbons, Berman, Humke, Anderson, Angle, Arberry, Bache, Beers, Claborn, Collins, Dini, Freeman, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Koivisto, Lee, Manendo, McClain, Mortenson, Neighbors, Oceguera, Parks, Parnell, Price, Smith, Tiffany and Von Tobel

 

March 1, 2001

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Referred to Committee on Government Affairs

 

SUMMARY—Urges Congress to allow states to extend Daylight Saving Time to conserve energy and to promote public safety. (BDR R‑982)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                     Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Joint RESOLUTION—Urging Congress to allow states to extend Daylight Saving Time to conserve energy and to promote public safety.

 

1-1    Whereas, Congress established Daylight Saving Time in 1966 with the

1-2  passage of the Uniform Time Act of 1966, 15 U.S.C. 260 et seq., with

1-3  Daylight Saving Time each year beginning at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of

1-4  April and ending at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October; and

1-5    Whereas, To save energy following the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo,

1-6  Congress placed most of the nation on extended Daylight Saving Time,

1-7  which lasted for 10 months in 1974 and for 8 months in 1975; and

1-8    Whereas, The United States Department of Transportation studied the

1-9  results of extending Daylight Saving Time in 1974 and 1975 and found that

1-10  in March and April of each of those years, Daylight Saving Time saved

1-11  energy in the equivalent of 10,000 barrels of oil each day or a total of

1-12  600,000 barrels each year; and

1-13    Whereas, During that same period, because pedestrian injuries are

1-14  more likely to occur in the dark than in daylight, it is estimated that 50

1-15  lives were saved and 2,000 injuries were prevented, as well as a savings of

1-16  approximately $28,000,000 in costs for traffic accidents; and

1-17    Whereas, In 1986, the date to begin Daylight Saving Time was

1-18  changed to the first Sunday in April, rather than the last, resulting in an

1-19  estimated savings of 300,000 barrels of oil each year; and

1-20    Whereas, In the average home, 25 percent of all electricity used is for

1-21  lighting and for small appliances such as televisions and stereos and is

2-1  directly affected by when the residents of the home go to bed and when

2-2  they get up; and

2-3    Whereas, By moving the clock ahead, thereby reducing the period

2-4  between sunset and bedtime by 1 hour, the average Nevada residence could

2-5  decrease the amount of energy consumed; and

2-6    Whereas, Daylight Saving Time also has a dramatic effect on safety,

2-7  as reported by several studies in the United States and Britain which show

2-8  that immediately following the end of Daylight Saving Time, pedestrian

2-9  fatalities quadruple, because many people are traveling home from work or

2-10  school at dusk; and

2-11    Whereas, Because many crimes are perpetrated in darkness, the longer

2-12  daylight hours can have an effect on the reduction of crime; and

2-13    Whereas, Americans generally express the feeling that having more

2-14  light in the evenings allows them to enjoy more outdoor activities; and

2-15    Whereas, Daylight Saving Time is used in many countries throughout

2-16  the world and was used for extended periods in the United States during

2-17  both World War I and World War II to conserve energy; and

2-18    Whereas, With fuel increasing in price and supplies diminishing, as

2-19  well as the critical importance of related environmental factors, it is

2-20  essential that we do what we can to conserve our energy resources; now,

2-21  therefore, be it

2-22    Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada,

2-23  Jointly, That the residents of the State of Nevada encourage our

2-24  Congressional leaders to explore all areas to enable us to conserve energy;

2-25  and be it further

2-26    Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature hereby urges Congress to

2-27  allow states to extend the period of Daylight Saving Time from the first

2-28  Sunday in February to the first Sunday in November; and be it further

2-29    Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

2-30  a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the

2-31  presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

2-32  Representatives, the Secretary of Transportation and each member of the

2-33  Nevada Congressional Delegation; and be it further

2-34    Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage.

 

2-35  H