HB1568

House Bill 1568 seeks to establish standard time as the year-round time observed in Arkansas, effectively eliminating the practice of daylight saving time. The bill invokes an exemption from the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966 to maintain central standard time throughout the calendar year. While the legislation mandates standard time for the state, it includes a provision stating that it does not override federal regulations concerning common carriers engaged in interstate commerce or federal government operations. Additionally, the bill permits state employees to adjust their schedules one hour earlier during the months when other states are observing daylight saving time, provided such an adjustment is reasonably accommodated. The legislation aims to create consistency in timekeeping within the state borders by abandoning the annual shift between daylight and standard time.