Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2029 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R2004 MCK-D
2	2	By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2029
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to authorizing a statewide referendum allowing voters to
10	10	indicate a preference for observing year-round standard time or
11	11	daylight saving time.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Section 312.016, Government Code, is amended by
14	14	adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
15	15	(d) The state, acting under the exemption provisions of
16	16	Section 3(a), Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. Section 260a(a)),
17	17	is exempt from the provisions of that law that establish daylight
18	18	saving time. The exemption provided by this subsection applies to
19	19	both the portion of the state using central standard time as the
20	20	official standard time and the portion of the state using mountain
21	21	standard time as the official standard time.
22	22	SECTION 2. Section 312.016, Government Code, is amended by
23	23	adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
24	24	(d) The state, acting as authorized under federal law, shall
25	25	observe daylight saving time year-round. This subsection applies
26	26	to both the portion of the state using central standard time as the
27	27	official standard time and the portion of the state using mountain
28	28	standard time as the official standard time.
29	29	SECTION 3. (a) At the general election to be held on
30	30	November 4, 2025, a statewide referendum shall be conducted to
31	31	allow the voters of this state to indicate a preference for either:
32	32	(1) observing standard time year-round; or
33	33	(2) observing daylight saving time year-round.
34	34	(b) The ballot for the referendum shall be printed to state
35	35	as follows: "Which of the following do you prefer?
36	36	"Observing standard time year-round."
37	37	"Observing daylight saving time year-round."
38	38	(c) The secretary of state shall design the ballot for the
39	39	referendum to enable a voter to select either of the statements set
40	40	out in Subsection (b) of this section as the voter's preference.
41	41	(d) The proposition for the referendum shall be printed on
42	42	the ballot under the heading: "Referendum Proposition" immediately
43	43	following the proposed constitutional amendment authorizing a
44	44	statewide referendum to allow the voters to choose between
45	45	observing standard time year-round and observing daylight saving
46	46	time year-round.
47	47	(e) Notice of the election shall be given in the same manner
48	48	that notice of proposed constitutional amendments is given.
49	49	(f) Returns of the votes cast on the proposition shall be
50	50	prepared and canvassed in the same manner as the returns on the
51	51	proposed constitutional amendments. Immediately after the results
52	52	of the election are certified, the secretary of state shall
53	53	transmit a copy of the certification to the lieutenant governor and
54	54	the speaker of the house of representatives.
55	55	SECTION 4. (a) If the constitutional amendment proposed by
56	56	the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, authorizing the
57	57	statewide referendum under Section 3 of this Act is approved by the
58	58	voters and if a majority of the votes cast in the statewide
59	59	referendum are in favor of "Observing standard time year-round,"
60	60	Section 1 of this Act takes effect January 1, 2026, and Section 2 of
61	61	this Act does not take effect.
62	62	(b) If the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th
63	63	Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, authorizing the statewide
64	64	referendum under Section 3 of this Act is approved by the voters and
65	65	if a majority of the votes cast in the statewide referendum are in
66	66	favor of "Observing daylight saving time year-round," Section 1 of
67	67	this Act does not take effect and Section 2 of this Act takes effect
68	68	only if the United States Congress enacts legislation that becomes
69	69	law that authorizes the State of Texas to observe daylight saving
70	70	time year-round. If the United States Congress does not enact
71	71	legislation that becomes law described by this subsection, Section
72	72	2 of this Act has no effect.
73	73	SECTION 5. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this Act,
74	74	this Act takes effect immediately if this Act receives a vote of
75	75	two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by
76	76	Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not
77	77	receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes
78	78	effect September 1, 2025.
79	79	(b) This Act takes effect only if the 89th Legislature,
80	80	Regular Session, 2025, proposes a constitutional amendment
81	81	authorizing a statewide referendum allowing voters to indicate a
82	82	preference for observing year-round standard time or daylight
83	83	saving time. If the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, does
84	84	not propose such a constitutional amendment, this Act has no
85	85	effect.
86	86	(c) Section 4 of this Act and, subject to Section 4, Sections
87	87	1 and 2 of this Act take effect only if the constitutional amendment
88	88	proposed by the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,
89	89	authorizing a statewide referendum allowing voters to indicate a
90	90	preference for observing year-round standard time or daylight
91	91	saving time is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not
92	92	approved by the voters, Sections 1, 2, and 4 of this Act have no
93	93	effect.