AUGUSTA, Maine — A bill that received preliminary approval Thursday in the Maine House of Representatives could put Maine an hour ahead of East Coast states for part of the year, though there is a growing movement among neighboring New England states to do the same.
Under provisions of the bill that advanced as a result of preliminary votes Thursday in the House of Representatives, Maine would do away with daylight saving time and shift to the Atlantic Standard Time Zone year-round without a statewide referendum. As a result of procedural House votes on Thursday, the move would not require approval via statewide referendum.
LD 203 would exempt Maine from federal provisions observing Eastern daylight saving time for eight months of the year and move Maine to the Atlantic Standard Time Zone year-round. Practically speaking, that would put Maine an hour ahead of other eastern states, into the time zone shared by Puerto Rico and Canada’s maritime provinces, for part of the year.
The move would also give Maine more daylight in the afternoon and evening during the winter months instead of setting the clocks ahead for daylight saving time.
The County is pleased to feature content from our sister company, Bangor Daily News. To read the rest of “Maine House supports time zone switch, dumping daylight saving,” an article by contributing Bangor Daily News staff writer Christopher Cousins, please follow this link to the BDN online.
