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LB 302

Eliminate daylight saving time

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Dave Murman

LB 302 would end DST in Nebraska and set permanent standard time once neighboring states also observe standard time, coordinating to avoid cross-border time mismatches.

Title printed. Carryover bill
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Bill Summary · LB 302

Summary — LB 302 (2025) — Eliminate daylight saving time

Status: Placed on Final Reading (Mar 17, 2025)
Introduced: Jan 15, 2025 by Sen. Dave Murman (primary) — co-sponsors listed in Final Reading

Purpose / Intent

LB 302 would end Nebraska’s practice of changing clocks for daylight saving time (DST) and establish permanent standard time for the state. The bill is intended to keep Nebraska on standard time year‑round, subject to a multi‑state coordination condition.

Key provisions

  • Establishes that Nebraska will not observe daylight saving time and will be exempt from the federal provision (15 U.S.C. 260a(a)) that governs advancing clocks for DST. (Amends Reissue Revised Statutes §49‑1301.)
  • Makes the statute that currently sets DST start and end dates (Reissue Revised Statutes §49‑1302) null and void once the permanent‑standard‑time provision becomes operative.
  • The operative date is conditional: the permanent standard time provision becomes effective on January 1 of the year following the year in which all four neighboring/planned states — Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming — adopt laws to not observe DST. This coordination requirement is explicitly stated in §49‑1301(2)(b)(i–iv).
  • Harmonizing amendments to other statutes to reflect year‑round standard time:
    • Election timing rules (§32‑908) (poll opening/closing and ballot receipt deadlines) — clarifies references to Mountain/Central time wording.
    • State employee leave accounting (§81‑1323 and §81‑1328) — specifies leave accounting cutoffs as "Central Standard Time" and "central time" adjustments and retains accrual/forfeiture schedules.
  • Contains a repealer section rescinding the original versions of the amended sections.

Who is affected

  • All Nebraska residents and businesses: clocks, scheduling, interstate coordination, travel and commerce will be affected if Nebraska moves to permanent standard time while neighboring jurisdictions remain on DST.
  • Residents in Nebraska counties lying in the Mountain vs. Central time zones — statutory election times and deadlines are preserved but references are harmonized.
  • State employees — statutory references for leave accounting times are adjusted; leave accrual schedules remain unchanged.
  • Broadcasters, transportation and cross‑border businesses likely to be affected operationally (testimony recorded from Nebraska Broadcasters and Nebraska Golf Alliance).

Legislative process & testimony

  • Referred to Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee; hearing Jan 31, 2025. Committee advanced bill to General File (roll call: Aye — Senators Andersen, Cavanaugh J., Guereca, Hunt, Lonowski, McKeon, Sanders, Wordekemper).
  • Testimony: proponents included Save Standard Time and private individuals; opponents included Nebraska Golf Alliance and others; Nebraska Broadcasters testified neutral.
  • Two fiscal notes were filed (Jan 30 and Mar 7, 2025) — fiscal detail not included in the provided documents.
  • Procedural history: advanced through Select File and Enrollment & Review (ER18 adopted) and placed on Final Reading Mar 17, 2025.

Practical considerations

  • The bill deliberately delays implementation until Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Wyoming also adopt permanent standard time to avoid cross‑border time mismatches.
  • Under current federal law, states may opt out of DST by remaining on standard time; LB 302 uses that mechanism but conditions enactment on multi‑state coordination.

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

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