|
Bay Area News
In 2008, daylight time begins on March 9 and
ends on November 2
On the second Sunday in March, clocks are set ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m.
local standard time, which becomes 3:00 a.m. local daylight time. On the
first Sunday in November, clocks are set back one hour at 2:00 a.m. local
daylight time, which becomes 1:00 a.m. local standard time. These dates were
established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. no. 109-58, 119 Stat
594 (2005).
Not all places in the U.S. observe daylight time. In particular, Hawaii and
most of Arizona do not use it. Indiana adopted its use beginning in 2006.
In 2007, daylight time began on March 11 and ended on November 4. [New law
went into effect.]
In 2008, daylight time begins on March 9 and ends on November 2.
In 2009, daylight time begins on March 8 and ends on November 1.
Many other countries observe some form of "summer time", but they do not
necessarily change their clocks on the same dates as the U.S.
Daylight time and time zones in the U.S. are defined in the U.S. Code, Title
15, Chapter 6, Subchapter IX - Standard Time.
History of Daylight Time in the U.S.
Although standard time in time zones was instituted in the U.S. and Canada
by the railroads in 1883, it was not established in U.S. law until the Act
of March 19, 1918, sometimes called the Standard Time Act. The act also
established daylight saving time, a contentious idea then. Daylight saving
time was repealed in 1919, but standard time in time zones remained in law.
Daylight time became a local matter. It was re-established nationally early
in World War II, and was continuously observed from 9 February 1942 to 30
September 1945. After the war its use varied among states and localities.
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided standardization in the dates of
beginning and end of daylight time in the U.S. but allowed for local
exemptions from its observance. The act provided that daylight time begin on
the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October, with the
changeover to occur at 2 a.m. local time.
During the "energy crisis" years, Congress enacted earlier starting dates
for daylight time. In 1974, daylight time began on 6 January and in 1975 it
began on 23 February. After those two years the starting date reverted back
to the last Sunday in April. In 1986, a law was passed that shifted the
starting date of daylight time to the first Sunday in April, beginning in
1987. The ending date of daylight time was not subject to such changes, and
remained the last Sunday in October. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed
both the starting and ending dates. Beginning in 2007, daylight time starts
on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
back to Bay Area News
|
