ATLANTA — Georgia residents could soon get to vote on whether to keep changing
their clocks twice a year for daylight saving time under a bill that unanimously
passed the state Senate on Monday.
The bill, which passed 53-0, would add a nonbinding referendum question to ballots during this year’s November general election. Voters would be asked if the state should keep things as they are today, switch to year-round standard time or switch to year-round daylight saving time, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The outcome of the nonbinding vote wouldn’t result in any immediate change, but would be used to draft future legislation.
State Sen. Bill Heath, a Republican from Bremen who co-sponsored Senate Bill 351, said he was struck by studies that suggest the annual time change could have a negative effect on people’s health.
A mirror piece of legislation in the state House has not yet made it through committee.
The bill, which passed 53-0, would add a nonbinding referendum question to ballots during this year’s November general election. Voters would be asked if the state should keep things as they are today, switch to year-round standard time or switch to year-round daylight saving time, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The outcome of the nonbinding vote wouldn’t result in any immediate change, but would be used to draft future legislation.
State Sen. Bill Heath, a Republican from Bremen who co-sponsored Senate Bill 351, said he was struck by studies that suggest the annual time change could have a negative effect on people’s health.
A mirror piece of legislation in the state House has not yet made it through committee.
Permanently moving to daylight saving time would require approval from Congress.