4 ms·

Could a US president change this unilaterally?

by ianai 7y ago

paxys 7y ago
Via an executive order, probably. Call it a public health crisis or whatever. It has been done before - https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-signing-the-emergency-daylight-saving-time-energy-conservation-act-1973 https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-signing-....
- _delirium 7y ago
  What you linked is a statement Nixon issued after signing a law passed by Congress, not Nixon unilaterally changing DST by executive order.
  - paxys 7y ago
    Well, never mind then. Although Trump did pledge exactly this (permanent DST via executive action) during his campaign, and if anyone is going to try and ram it through regardless of legality or consequences, it's him.
    - ianai 7y ago
      That would really only work until another president and sympathetic congress issued a counter decree. Granted, I’m sure by then there would be significant pressure to not undo it. That doesn’t always stop them though.
_delirium 7y ago
No, it would require an amendment to the Uniform Time Act [1]. Under current law, states can opt out of DST (subject to some conditions), but the federal executive branch can't unilaterally force them to opt out. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Time_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Time_Act
- dexterdog 7y ago
  So then you create an executive order and then withhold federal funds from the states that don't comply. I wish states would have a backbone but with the lion's share of taxes going to DC they are just powerless.
  - ianai 7y ago
    I know you mean well but that software would just not be used.
- ianai 7y ago
  Pretty sure that’s just a simple majority vote in the senate, too. Good to know. I hope this changes someday.
hatchnyc 7y ago
Could OSS maintainers change this unilaterally?
- pishpash 7y ago
  This, if all your software clocks refused to switch times in defiance of the timezone, is there any legal problem? Make it a fait accompli and the laws follow.

Could a US president change this unilaterally?

by ianai 7y ago

Could a US president change this unilaterally?

Via an executive order, probably. Call it a public health crisis or whatever. It has been done before - https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-signing-the-emergency-daylight-saving-time-energy-conservation-act-1973 https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-signing-....

_delirium 7y ago
What you linked is a statement Nixon issued after signing a law passed by Congress, not Nixon unilaterally changing DST by executive order.
- paxys 7y ago
  Well, never mind then. Although Trump did pledge exactly this (permanent DST via executive action) during his campaign, and if anyone is going to try and ram it through regardless of legality or consequences, it's him.
  - ianai 7y ago
    That would really only work until another president and sympathetic congress issued a counter decree. Granted, I’m sure by then there would be significant pressure to not undo it. That doesn’t always stop them though.

_delirium 7y ago

No, it would require an amendment to the Uniform Time Act [1]. Under current law, states can opt out of DST (subject to some conditions), but the federal executive branch can't unilaterally force them to opt out. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Time_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Time_Act

dexterdog 7y ago
So then you create an executive order and then withhold federal funds from the states that don't comply. I wish states would have a backbone but with the lion's share of taxes going to DC they are just powerless.
- ianai 7y ago
  I know you mean well but that software would just not be used.
ianai 7y ago
Pretty sure that’s just a simple majority vote in the senate, too. Good to know. I hope this changes someday.

hatchnyc 7y ago

Could OSS maintainers change this unilaterally?

pishpash 7y ago
This, if all your software clocks refused to switch times in defiance of the timezone, is there any legal problem? Make it a fait accompli and the laws follow.