.jpg)
Zach Wendling Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — Nebraskans tired of switching their clocks twice each year, in March and November, could have three legislative proposals to choose from this year to inch toward ending the practice.
State Sens. Megan Hunt of Omaha, Dave Murman of Glenvil and Danielle Conrad of Lincoln have introduced, or plan to introduce, proposals to help end the time switch.
“I don’t care which way we set the clocks,” Hunt said in a text. “I just support stopping the madness of changing the time twice a year.”
Hunt’s Legislative Bill 34 would provide for year-round daylight saving time, maintaining the period between March and November to preserve sunlight later in the day — between the second Sunday in March (“spring ahead”) and the first Sunday in November (“fall back”).
Murman’s LB 302 would provide for yearround standard time, the current position of the clocks in the colder fall and winter months when the sun rises earlier.
Both bills would not go into effect until other surrounding states adopt similar laws: For Hunt’s bill, three adjacent states to Nebraska would need to adopt a single yearround standard of time. For Murman’s bill, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Wyoming would all need to adopt legislation for yearround standard time.
Federal law currently prohibits year-round daylight saving time but does allow yearround standard time, which Hawaii and Arizona (excluding the Navajo Nation) observe.
The bills are up for a hearing before the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee on Friday afternoon.
Conrad’s yet-to-be-introduced legislative resolution would more broadly urge Nebraska’s congressional representatives to push for a uniform decision and end the “antiquated” clock changes. It echoes calls from President Donald Trump and bipartisan U.S. senators to find a permanent solution, according to draft language.
Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner proposed LR 276 in 2024 examining Nebraska’s time zone boundary in western Nebraska and urging Congress to move the line a little west, matching where Nebraska’s panhandle begins. It would affect Dundy, Chase and Perkins counties in Ibach’s district, as well as Keith, Arthur, Grant, Hooker and the part of Cherry County.
