Tennessee bill aimed at keeping Daylight Saving Time year-round to be reintroduced
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) - A Tennessee bill aimed at keeping Daylight Saving Time year-round will be reintroduced in the Legislature.
The bill is spearheaded again by Rep. Rick Tillis (R-Lewisburg) who will be joined by and Rep. Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville). Both lawmakers proposed a similar bill last year that was deferred to a summer study.
If passed, it would have the Volunteer State keep Daylight Saving Time year-round. The new bill, which has not yet been filed, will be worded differently than last year's bill, that aimed to "spring forward" permanently by May 2019. Tillis did a Facebook poll for the bill last year and the idea had an 82 percent approval rating from 10,000 voters.
“Public support is huge," Tillis said. “I’ve had more people ask me about that bill than any other issue in the state”
Tillis' office said the bill is now changed to say that once the Federal Government allows states to choose whether or not to stay on Daylight Saving Time, Tennessee would choose to keep it year-round. Tillis has continued to receive immense support for the bill, which will be filed sometime before Jan. 23.
The proposed bill would be similar to Florida's "Sunshine Protection Act," which was signed into state law by Gov. Rick Scott, but still needs to be passed by Congress to make the law permanent.
Tillis would like to see the bill passed by 2020 - but just like Florida, the ultimate decision will be up to the Federal Government.
