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LD 4

An Act To Adopt Eastern Standard Time Year-Round

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Joe Baldacci and 2 co-sponsors

Maine would lock to Eastern Standard Time year-round, ending daylight saving and keeping clocks at UTC-5; summer evenings would be earlier, affecting schedules statewide.

Placed in the Legislative Files. (DEAD)
#planning #stategovernment #year-roundeasternstandardtime
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Bill Summary · LD 4

Summary — LD 4: "An Act To Adopt Eastern Standard Time Year‑round"

Status: Placed in the Legislative Files (DEAD; Indefinitely Postponed 2025-06-10)
Bill No.: LD 4
Title: An Act To Adopt Eastern Standard Time Year‑round
Introduced: January 8, 2025
Sponsor: Senator Bennett (Oxford)
Committee: State and Local Government

Purpose / Intent

The bill would change Maine law so the State observes Eastern Standard Time (EST) year‑round, rather than switching between Eastern Standard Time in winter and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) in summer. In practice, this would eliminate the twice‑annual clock changes and keep clocks at UTC‑5 throughout the year.

Key provisions (as described)

  • Adopt Eastern Standard Time as the permanent time standard for the State of Maine.
  • Repeal or amend statutory references that currently implement the daylight saving time (EDT) shift (actual bill text not included in provided materials).
  • Administrative steps for state agencies to reflect the permanent EST designation in statutes, signage, schedules and publications.

(Note: The legislative text itself was not provided; the summary is based on the bill title and fiscal notes.)

Who would be affected

  • General public: residents would no longer change clocks; summer evenings would have sunset roughly one hour earlier than under current practice (less evening daylight in summer), while winter daylight timing would be unchanged.
  • Employers, schools, health-care providers and municipalities: scheduling and operating hours could be adjusted to reflect consistent standard time.
  • Transportation, broadcasting, and cross‑jurisdictional services: coordination with other New England states, national timetables, and neighboring Canadian provinces could be affected (timing differences with jurisdictions that continue to observe DST).
  • State agencies: administrative updates to statutes, websites, forms and guidance — Secretary of State would handle some changes.

Fiscal impact

  • Preliminary and committee fiscal notes (01/22/25 and 04/04/25): No fiscal impact.
  • Fiscal note for later Senate amendment (06/03/25): Minor General Fund cost increase to the Secretary of State; costs expected to be minor and absorbed within existing budgeted resources.

Legislative history / timeline

  • Referred to State and Local Government upon introduction (01/08/25).
  • Work session held (03/03/25); committee produced a divided report and reported out OTP‑AM/ONTP (05/22/25).
  • Multiple motions to table and to indefinitely postpone occurred in late May–June 2025.
  • On 2025‑06‑10 the bill was indefinitely postponed and placed in the Legislative Files (dead).

Legal context / notes

Under the federal Uniform Time Act, states may elect to remain on standard time year‑round (as Arizona and Hawaii do) by state law. (A change to observe daylight time year‑round, instead of standard time, requires Congressional approval.) This bill, as titled, would be an in‑state opt‑out of observing daylight saving time.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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