Year-round daylight saving time proposed

Nebraskans no longer would reset their clocks twice a year under a bill considered Feb. 19 by the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.

LB1015, introduced by Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, would adopt year-round daylight saving time in Nebraska. The bill would take effect only if the federal government allows states to do so and at least two neighboring states also make the switch.

Briese said he has received an “overwhelming” positive response to his bill from Nebraskans, and cited studies that indicate time changes cause an increase in car accidents and workplace injuries and a decrease in worker productivity.

“Farmers, and everyone else in our state, it would seem, hate the idea of changing their clocks twice a year,” Briese said.

No one testified in support of LB1015.

Jim Timm, president of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association, testified against the bill. He said abandoning time changes would be disruptive to television and radio station schedules, especially when setting start times for live events.

“Adopting different time standards on this individual basis would put each state out of synch with its neighbors and make program scheduling as chaotic as the patchwork time zone map,” Timm said.

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.