Information Charlottesville

Tomorrow at 10 a.m., the Albemarle Board of Supervisors will meet with legislators to discuss potential legislation for the 2023 General Assembly. On Saturday night, most of the United States will turn back clocks to mark the end of daylight saving time. 

Albemarle’s legislative wish list does not include a request to end the practice, nor has the topic been discussed on the legislative agendas of any of the 24 localities in the Fifth District. Read my other newsletter for more on those localities.

However, legislation has been filed in the past to end Virginia’s participation in the practice, which began in 1918 with the federal Standard Time Act as a wartime cost-savings measure. The practice dropped in 1919 but became permanent again with the Uniform Time Act of 1966.

Delegate Nicholas Freitas (R-30) filed a bill earlier this year (HB303) that would have disconnected Virginia from the federal requirement but it died in a General Laws subcommittee on February 3. 

Another bill in 2022 (HJ6) sought to direct the Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade to study the effects of daylight saving time, but that was also left in committee. That also happened in 2019 and in 2021. A 2018 bill sought to have the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission review the effects. That legislation also died in committee.

Will it come back again this year? Will there at least be a study? What do you think? How is your life affected by the twice-annual shift in clocks? 

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Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment comes from the November 3, 2022 edition of the program. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.