Crow Reintroduces the Closing the Loophole on Interstate Firearm Sales Act  (2-1-2021)
https://crow.house.gov/media/press-releases/crow-reintroduces-closing-loophole-interstate-firearm-sales-act

"Crow first introduced the Colorado Loophole Act in May 2019, a month after a woman from Florida who was obsessed with the Columbine tragedy arrived in Colorado, purchased a shotgun, and caused a nationwide panic. "

In times of "Crisis" those in government have a tendency toward over zealousness to "protect" the citizens.  Politicians are  schooled in the art of reelection to "never let a crisis go to waste". Further in crisis mode citizens can be petrified in the chaos and rational decision making skills are stymied making way for others to make decisions for them only to experience regret after the crisis is averted and they regain their calm.

With the current cancel culture and censorship of social media ...discussion is good but contacting your representatives is better and can be done from the comfort and safety of your RV.  It all boils down to the number of voices heard for election or re-election, sharing these links below so others can share their opinions with their representatives is a way of taking action.

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

https://www.senate.gov/general/contacting.htm
 

Here are some samples of the Escapee Club members working so their voices are heard:
https://www.escapees.com/benefits/rv-advocacy/escapees-advocacy-timeline/

• Defending Full-Time RVers’ Right to Vote
• Protecting Overnight Parking Options
• Battling Unfair RV-Specific Taxes
• Defeating Discriminatory U.S.P.S. Mandates
• Eliminating Discriminatory Driver License Regulations
• Assisting With Satellite Services for Traveling RVers
• Battling Adverse Motor Vehicle Laws for Full-Time RVers
• Weighing in on Various Parks and Recreation Bills
• Special Attention Needed on Homeland Security Laws
• Industry Coalitions Established to Safeguard RVers 

 

Most new housing developments use cluster mail boxes to reduce labor, or put the mailbox on the curb side instead of at the front door. If older neighborhoods could phase in cluster boxes possibly the current USPS staffing might be able to handle the work load more efficiently. Walking to the end of the block is good exercise, a chance to observe your neighborhood ie "Neighborhood Watch", maybe wave to a neighbor etc.  In senior communities those that are walking or balance challenged either ride 3 wheel bikes, golf carts or mobility scooters to their mailbox cluster.

The pandemic has brought a dark cloud over the globe but there are a few rays of sunshine, less junk mail (trees appreciate that too),  pro and con: increased awareness of internet services: more people given the opportunity to register for services online, people can read their scanned mail online instead of hard copy,  see their Dr online and get groceries online potentially contributing to less fuel consumption?

I request my mail forwarding via email each month.  Much easier to change my email template to FedEx from Priority Mail than try and privatize the USPS with over 600K employees.

It does make you think though: when FedEx according to this article   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FedEx   has the same amount of employees as the USPS???

My intention in starting this thread was to find some solutions to help the USPS. It is easy to complain and commiserate but without action it never changes. Unfortunately the USPS's problems have become are so ingrained over the years that it will probably never recover as highlighted in the US GAO report below:

Granted sometimes the USPS does work as advertised but it is not dependable on a consistent basis and is ham-stringed by so much regulation the prognosis is grim. Most of us prefer to do business with companies that can provide a quality product or service that is reliable. 

Several here suggested I use FedEx, I want to THANK YOU for the suggestions.  I am happy to say I have used FedEx twice to receive my Escapee Mail and once to send since my USPS mail went missing in December in my original post.

I would suggest everyone here that has had delayed or missing mail try other services than the USPS for your Escapee Mail. FEDEx is my new carrier of choice but there are others that Escapees mail works with, you don't have to use the USPS.

It appears the wheel configuration is 2 in the back and one in the front?  Wouldn't 2 in the front and one in the back be more stable?? I have several friends that have gone to 3 wheel motorcycles so they can continue to ride safely as they "season". 

https://can-am.brp.com/on-road/ca/en/models/spyder-f3.html/spyder-f3-s-special-series

He's been touted as the smartest man in the world, what if Elon Musk took over the USPS?  He's got electric car company, a space exploration company and an internet service etc..

"Once it becomes fully operational, Starlink will be able to offer internet access from virtually anywhere on the planet. The goal of the Elon Musk Starlink effort is to launch thousands of small satellites, all of which will be in low Earth orbit. They will be able to transmit fast internet signals down to Earth."  Source:  https://www.androidauthority.com/what-is-starlink-1134426/

Its competition between like businesses:  USPS, UPS, Amazon, DHL and USPS.  Just my guess the older a company the harder it is to make changes to stay competitive in part due to management, limited long term planing and lack of attention to constant pro-active endeavors after getting in a comfort zone.  Many times changes do not occur unless forced by stock holders, a balance sheet or a customer base. The world keeps turning whether we want it to or not and if we don't keep moving we eventually fall off.

Update:  I receive my priority mail on the 21st of December. 

I have used FEDX twice this month (12/2020) once to receive my SKP mail and once to send mail to California.  Price was same as Priority mail delivery time via ground was estimated at 3-5 days and both were received in 3 days Christmas week.   Will be using FEDX for future SKP mail forwarding instead of USPS priority mail.

 

We stayed In a rural Arizona mountain park this past summer and the post office used subcontractors and not postal employees to deliver mail to our area. I believe each village, city,  county and state handles postal service differently depending on local statues, the volume of mail, the type of mail and the area needed to be covered. A lot of visitors used FedEx and UPS.  Once size never fits all.

Source: https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action

Informed Delivery^® by USPS^®

Digitally preview your mail and manage your packages scheduled to arrive soon! Informed Delivery allows you to view greyscale images of the exterior, address side of letter-sized mailpieces and track packages in one convenient location.*

* Images are only provided for letter-sized mailpieces that are processed through USPS' automated equipment

I learned early in life we get what we pay for and if it sounds to good to be true, it IS too good to be true.

Thank you for the suggestion.  I just thought of FED-EX for overnight service but found their rates very competitive with the USPS https://www.fedex.com/en-us/shipping/one-rate.html

Will use them instead of Priority Mail in the future.  Thanks again for the suggestion.

UPDATE:  12-16-2020

My Priority Mail that I ordered on 12-2-2020 still has not arrived and I have had no text updates since 12-10-2020 and no confirmation of delivery?
Tracking History
December 10, 2020
In Transit, Arriving Late
Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility.

I went to a USPS near where we are staying and they said they are not the USPS for our address and was given the location of the USPS for the address we are at and they had a specific line for mail tracking.  The clerk said the USPS has been overwhelmed between Covid19 and holiday volume and apologized but said there is no way to find my Priority Mail.  It is either in a Houston or Phoenix distribution center. 

So Priority Mail normally 3 to 5 days delivery, then 10 days is now 14 days and counting... so sad

PS I have ordered from Amazon in the past two weeks and received two packages the next day and one two days later.  What ever Amazon and FEDX are doing I wish the USPS could do also.

 

I am happy to say I received a reply from the post office regarding my missing mail, in less than 24 hours, though it hasn't been located the reason for the current delays and the amount of delay may be helpful for others who recently haven't received their mail: 

Under normal conditions, Priority Mail is delivered in 2-3 business days, however we are currently seeing significant delays in this processing time.  Our network is currently experiencing a 60-78% increase in volume depending on the area, and we are having significant issues with both mail transportation and processing due to the influx in volume, as well as staffing issues due to the spread of COVID-19 in some of our facilities. Currently, from certain areas of the country, we are seeing delays of 10 or more days for even our Priority products, which we understand is unacceptable for our customers, and we are working to eliminate these delays. As soon as we receive your item in our delivery unit, we will ensure it is promptly delivered. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our office directly at the number below. 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/320234/mail-volume-of-the-usps/

United States Postal Service - mail volume 2004-2020
Published by E. Mazareanu, Nov 16, 2020

14 Things Your Mail Carrier Wishes You Knew:
https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/14-things-your-mail-carrier-wishes-you-knew-52258

Suggestions, Ideas how can we help the USPS?

Over the years I have been fortunate not to have issues with my US mail but sadly this year I have had two pretty big issues. In March I sent a document certified mail; the business was notified by post card that the letter was available for pick up but when requesting the mail in person it was no where to be found.  I looked up the tracking number and wrote letters to the post masters it went through and social media may have been involved and it was eventually found. 

On Wednesday 12/2/2020 I ordered my mail like I have for almost 21 years and usually received within 3-5 days depending where we were parked. I tracked the piece number online to follow its progress and subsequently received 3 texts saying it would arrive late on 12/5, then 12/7 and then 12/8 and today I still have not received it. I love technology and appreciate the tracking service but wonder what are they tracking and how are they scanning it?  I submitted an online request today to find my mail https://usps.force.com/emailus/s/ Fingers crossed I will hear something back.

This past summer the RV park we stayed in had numerous complaints with the local post office.  Knock on wood I didn't experience  an issue there but did look into it to see what could be done.  Turns out the older rural RV Park location was assigned subcontractors which changed frequently requiring constant retraining to deliver to the park's central boxes.  For packages the larger boxes were missing keys so the delivery person didn't use them and just took them back to the post office and sent a post card saying there was a package for pickup. Then with the influx of mail in October the mail carrier usually delivering around 2pm was not arriving till after dark and no one checked on the lighting in the box area.  I submitted a request to the park management to check  on the security and lighting in the area as well as the legibility of the aged and worn box numbers on the mail carriers side.  Changes were initiated and the mail carrier was most appreciative they we were trying to help them help us and issues seemed to have diminished.

We take our mail service for granted and sadly the USPS has been operating in the red for the past 13 years? I am sure that is not good for morale and short of completely privatizing the service or going to 5 days a week so mail routes would have the same carriers each week, I don't know how it could be saved?

But in the mean time I would love to hear suggestions to help the USPS. With Escapees traveling all over the US and elsewhere, what have your found in your travels that has improved your mail delivery?

SOURCE:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Time_Act

The Uniform Time Act of 1966, Pub.L. 89–387, 80 Stat. 107, enacted April 13, 1966, was a Law of the United States to "promote the adoption and observance of uniform time within the standard time zones" prescribed by the Standard Time Act of 1918. Its intended effect was to simplify the official pattern of where and when daylight saving time (DST) is applied within the U.S. Prior to this law, each state had its own scheme for when DST would begin and end, and in some cases, which parts of the state should use it.^[1]

History

The law, as originally written, required states that observe DST to begin it at 2 a.m. local time on the last Sunday in April, and to end it at 2 a.m. local time on the last Sunday in October and explicitly preempted all state laws related to daylight saving time per the weights and measures power given to Congress in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. The law was later amended in 1986 to move the uniform start date for DST to the first Sunday in April (effective 1987). The latest amendment, part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, extends DST by four or five weeks by moving the uniform start date for DST to the second Sunday in March and the end date to the first Sunday in November (effective 2007). The Department of Energy was required to report to Congress the impact of the DST extension by December 1, 2007 (nine months after the statute took effect). The report, released in October 2008, reported a nationwide electricity savings of 0.03% for the year of 2007.^[2]

Specifications

The law does not require that all states observe DST. Individual states may exempt themselves from DST and observe standard time year-round by passing a state law, provided:

• if the state lies entirely within a time zone, that the exemption apply statewide, or
• if the state is divided by a time zone boundary, that the exemption apply statewide or to the entire part of the state on one side of the boundary.

Daylight saving time is a distraction from the current and temporary chaos which will pass soon and the world will continue to go round. 

My first thought when I read through the legislation summary below was all the time, money and effort spent on the subject.  Could that time be better spent?  maybe... maybe not... All things are relative...

https://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/daylight-savings-time-state-legislation.aspx

State Legislation—Daylight Saving Time 2019 and 2020 (Carryover, Enacted and Introduced) Updated August 2020

State

Bill Number

Prime

Sponsor

Status

Summary

Alabama

HB 215

 (2020)

Weaver

Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.

Alaska

HB 43

(2019)

Rauscher Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Provides that the Alaska Legislature petitions the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to hold public hearings in the state on:
  • Changing time zones. Or
  • Placing the state within the “Pacific Standard Time Zone.”

 

HB 173

(2019)

Eastman Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

HB 292

(2020)

Ortiz Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

California

AB 7

(2019)

Chu Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

AJR 33

(2020)

Chu Pending

• Urges Congress and the President to enact legislation that would allow a state to adopt DST year-round.

Colorado

SB 105

(2020)

Scott Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.

 

SM 1

(2020)

Bridges and Scott Failed-Adjourned

• Urges Congress to repeal the federal law establishing the annual advancement of time known as “Daylight Saving Time” and leave the U.S. on standard time year-round.

Georgia

HR 1240

(2020)

Cantrell

Adopted

(3/9/2020)

• Urges the federal government to allow states to switch to permanent DST.

 

SB 351

(2020)

Watson

Failed

Adjourned

• Directs the Secretary of State to conduct a referendum asking voters to select one of the following at the next general election:
  • N. 1. The state shall continue to observe the current system of switching between standard time and DST twice a year.
  • N. 2. The state shall not observe DST.
  • N. 3. The state shall observe DST year-round if authorized by Congress.

 

HB 628

(2019)

Cantrell Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Provides that the state shall observe the standard time of the United States.

 

HB 630

(2019)

Cantrell Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.

 

HB 709

(2019)

Cantrell Failed-Adjourned

• Directs the state Secretary of State to conduct a referendum asking voters to select one of the following at the next general election:
  • N. 1. The state shall continue to observe the current system of switching between standard time and DST twice a year.
  • N. 2. The state shall observe standard time year-round.
  • N. 3. The state shall observe daylight saving time year-round if authorized by Congress.

Idaho

SB 1267

(2020)

State Affairs Committee

(Chair Lodge)

2020 Idaho Sess. Laws, Ch. 145

• Provides that if the state of Washington establishes DST as the permanent time of the state, then those areas in the state of Idaho that are in the “Pacific Time Zone” shall also make DST their permanent time.

 

SB 1386

(2020)

State Affairs Committee

(Chair Lodge)

Failed-Adjourned

• States that areas of Idaho in the “Mountain Time Zone” will follow “Mountain Daylight Saving Time” year-round at such time Utah establishes DST as the permanent time of the state.

 

HB 358

(2020)

State Affairs Committee

(Chair Lodge)

Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.

Illinois

SB 533

(2019)

Manar Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.
• Specifies that such time shall be established, “notwithstanding how time is advanced pursuant to the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966.”

 

HB 3837

(2019)

Skillicorn Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.
• Specifies that such time shall be established, “notwithstanding how time is advanced pursuant to the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966.”

 

HB 3821

(2019)

Grant Pending

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.

 

HB 4935

(2020)

Welter Pending

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.

 

HB 4219

(2020)

Sosnowski Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.

 

HR 750

(2020)

Sosnowski Pending

• Urges Congress to enact permanent DST.

Iowa

SF 2020

(2020)

Bolkcom Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes “Central Standard Time” as the official time year-round.

 

SF 2077

(2020)

Zaun Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.

 

HF 2059

(2020)

Sexton Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.

 

SF 2282

(2020)

State Government Committee

(Chair Smith)

Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.

 

HF 2560

(2020)

State Government Committee

(Chair Smith)

Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.

 

HF 71

(2019)

Sexton Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.

Kansas

HB 2422

(2020)

Williams Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes “Central Daylight Saving Time” as the official time year-round.
• Directs the state Secretary of State to monitor the enactment of any federal law that permits the year-round observation of “Central DST.”

 

HB 2008

(2019)

Williams Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.

Kentucky

HB 19

(2020)

Rowland Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.
• Directs the state Secretary of Transportation to monitor federal legislation and to certify the date of any legislation authorizing states to observe DST on a year-round basis.

 

HCR 53

(2020)

Reed Failed-Adjourned

• Urges Congress to allow states to permanently adopt DST.

 

HB 352

(2020)

Rudy Failed

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.
• Amendment failed.

Louisiana

HB 132

(2020)

Horton

Enacted

(6/10/2020)

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

HB 134

(2020)

Mack Failed

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

Maryland

SB 517

(2020)

Ready Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

HB 1610

(2020)

Crosby Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

Massachusetts

SB 1869

(2019)

Jehlen Pending

• Directs the Governor to annually issue a proclamation setting apart the second week of March as “Massachusetts Sleep Awareness Week,” and the Sunday at the beginning of “Daylight Savings Time,” and recommend that such week be properly observed as a period of special attention to the problems of sleep deprivation and fatigue.

 

HB 2766

(2019)

Provost Pending

• Directs the Governor to annually issue a proclamation setting apart the second week of March as “Massachusetts Sleep Awareness Week,” and the Sunday at the beginning of “Daylight Savings Time,” and recommend that such week be properly observed as a period of special attention to the problems of sleep deprivation and fatigue.

 

SB 1870

(2019)

Keenan Pending

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Specifies that the standard time within the state shall be the time known and designated by federal law as “Atlantic Standard Time.” 

Michigan

HB 4303

(2019)

Hoitenga

Pending

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Directs the Governor to petition U.S. DOT to place the state within the “Eastern Standard Time Zone.”

Minnesota

SF 475

(2019)

Kiffemeyer Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.

 

SF 1416

(2019)

Kiffemeyer Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

HF 1397

(2019)

Freiberg Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

SF 2896

(2019)

Kiffemeyer Failed-Adjourned

• Urges the President and Congress of the United States to adopt the federal Sunshine Protection Act, which would make DST the permanently established time year-round.

Mississippi

SB 2041

(2020)

Blackwell Failed

• Creates the “Mississippi Daylight Protection Act,” providing legislative intent that DST shall be the year-round standard time for the entire state, subject to congressional authorization.

 

HB 230

(2020)

Zuber Failed

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

HB 430

(2020)

Arnold Failed

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

HB 787

(2020)

Newman Failed

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

 

HB 514

(2020)

Ladner Failed

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.

 

HCR 17

(2020)

Arnold Pending

• Urges Congress to allow states to enact legislation that that would establish DST as the standard time throughout the calendar year.

  SCR 562 Blackwell Pending

• Expresses the intent of the legislature that DST shall be the year-round standard time.

Missouri

HB 1356

(2020)

Remole

Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes the “Daylight Saving as New Standard Time Pact,” consisting of Missouri and any other state seeking to permanently change DST to a new standard time.
• Provides that in the year in which at least 20 states passed legislation, each state will switch clocks to DST for the last time and DST will be eliminated.
• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Specifies that the time known as “DST” will be the standard time.

Nebraska

LB 1015

(2020)

Briese

Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization or an approval from U.S. DOT and if two (2) other states enact a single standard of time year-round.

New Jersey

SB 420

(2020)

Turner Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.
• Provides that the standing time of the state shall be considered “Eastern Daylight Time.”

 

AB 3868

(2020)

Wimberly Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.
• Provides that the standing time of the state shall be considered “Eastern Daylight Time.”

New Mexico

SB 272

(2020)

Pirtle

Failed-Adjourned

• Creates the “Interstate-Interjurisdiction Mountain Time Zone Permanent Daylight Saving Time Compact (Compact).”
• Outlines eligibility to join the Compact, including designating an official of notice in each member’s enacting statute.
• Establishes “Mountain Daylight Saving Time” as the official time year-round.

New York

SB 7080

(2020)

Skoufis Pending

• Establishes “Atlantic Time” as the official time year-round.

 

SB 7230

(2020)

Little Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round. 
• Specifies that such time shall be established, “notwithstanding how time is advanced pursuant to the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966.”

 

SB 3928

(2019)

Seward Pending

• Establishes a DST Task Force to study the effects of the state opting out of DST.

 

AB 1690

(2019)

Vanel  

• Establishes a DST Task Force to study the effects of the state opting out of DST.

 

AB 6622

(2019)

Morinello Pending

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Prohibits political subdivisions and state entities from using any other standard time.

North Carolina

HB 350

(2019)

Saine

Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.

Ohio

SB 119

(2019)

Roegner and Peterson Pending

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Prohibits courts, public offices, state entities and political subdivisions from using any other standard time.

 

SCR 8

(2019)

Roegner and Peterson Pending

• Urges Congress to enact the federal Sunshine Protection Act, which would permanently extend DST nationwide.

Oklahoma

HB 2868

(2020)

Pae Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Establishes “Central Standard Time” as the official time year-round.

 

HB 3878

(2020)

Brewer Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Establishes “Central Standard Time” as the official time year-round.

 

HB 1117

(2019)

West Failed-Adjourned

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST.
• Provides that the state elects to use “Central Standard Time” as the official time year-round.

Pennsylvania

SB 774

(2019)

Boscola Pending

• Provides that the uniform legal standard time of the Commonwealth shall be “Atlantic Standard Time” and that DST shall not be used.

 

SR 179

(2019)

Martin Pending

• Urges Congress to extend DST throughout the entire year across the country.

 

HB 825

(2019)

Diamond Pending

• Provides that the uniform standard time of the Commonwealth shall be “Eastern Standard Time” and that DST shall not be used as a standard of time.

 

HB 1462

(2019)

Mackenzie Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.

South Carolina

SB 11

(2019)

Peeler

2020 S.C.

Act 113

(2/7/2020)

• Provides that the South Carolina General Assembly intends for DST to be used as the year-round official time of the state, subject to congressional authorization.

 

HB 3335

(2019)

Clemmons Pending

• Provides that the South Carolina General Assembly intends for DST to be used as the year-round official time of the state, subject to congressional authorization.

 

HB 4658

(2020)

Chumley Pending

• Refers a ballot question asking, “Do you favor the Attorney General of South Carolina requesting a waiver from the United States Secretary of Transportation in order to permit and approve South Carolina to observe daylight saving time year-round and no longer observe standard time?”
• If approved by voters, directs the state Attorney General to request a waiver from U.S. DOT to permit the state to observe DST year-round.

 

HB 3018

(2019)

Clemmons Pending

• Urges Congress to extend observation of DST on a year-round basis.

 

HB 3246

(2019)

Chumley Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.
• Directs the state Attorney General to request a waiver from U.S. DOT, providing, however, that the provisions nullify if the waiver is not approved.

South Dakota

HB 1085

(2020)

Greenfield

Failed

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to an authorizing federal law.

Utah

SB 59

(2020)

Harper

Enacted

(3/28/2020)

• Subject to congressional authorization to allow states to observe DST year-round, places the state on “Mountain Daylight Time.”
• Contains a contingent effective date by specifying that at least four other western states (e.g., Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington or Wyoming) must also enact similar legislation.

Vermont

HB 559

(2020)

Yacovone Pending

• Creates an exemption from federal law regarding observation of DST, providing that the standard time shall be, “U.S. Standard Eastern Time.”

 

HB 10

(2019)

Young Pending

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.
• Provides that the new time may be designated as, “U.S. Eastern Daylight Saving Time.”

Washington

SB 5139

(2019)

Honeyford Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization.
• Requires a review of the potential impact the time zone has on communities to determine if the state should seek authorization from U.S. DOT to be in “Mountain Standard Time” on a year-round basis. 

 

SB 5140

(2019)

Honeyford Failed-Adjourned

• Provides that if Congress amends the law to allow states to observe DST year-round, it is the intent of the Washington Legislature that DST will be the official year-round standard of time.
• Requires a review of the impacts the state time zone and DST have on commerce.

 

SB 5250

(2019)

Mullet Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to both congressional authorization and approval by voters at the next general election.

West Virginia

SB 106

(2020)

Cline

Failed-Adjourned

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round.

Wyoming

HB 44

(2020)

Laursen

2020 Wyo. Sess. Laws, Ch. 134

• Establishes DST as the official time year-round, subject to congressional authorization and enactment of laws in at least four “western states” (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming) to place all or a portion of the state on year-round DST.
• Exempts the state from “Mountain Standard Time.”
• Requires the governor to inform the management council of the legislature regarding the date the bill takes effect.

Here's What Cows Think of Daylight Saving Time

Farmer Katie Dotterer-Pyle and her husband David Pyle run Cow Comfort Inn Dairy and milk their herd of 350 cows every day. "They are like most humans, they are not receptive to change," Dotterer-Pyle told Carrol County Times. "They are very habitual animals, they like to do the same thing every day."

It appears by the map below (better viewed at the source link) the trend is away from daylight savings and looks like more do not observe than do observe?

Most areas in Europe and North America observe daylight saving time (DST), whereas most areas of Africa and Asia do not. In South America, most countries in the north of the continent near the Equator do not observe DST, whereas Paraguay and most of Chile do. The practice of observing daylight saving time in Oceania is also mixed, with New Zealand and parts of southeastern Australia observing DST, while most other areas do not.

SOURCE:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_by_country

Daylight saving time by country as of March 2020

There is hope:
Until 2018, none of the hundreds of bills under consideration passed. However, in 2018, California and Florida voted to make DST permanent and, in 2019, an additional six states passed legislation to place the state on year-round DST, if authorized by Congress. Utah passed a resolution urging Congress to authorize year-round DST in a resolution but did not commit the state to do so.

Source:  https://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/daylight-savings-time-state-legislation.aspx

Background

The U.S. had daylight saving time (DST) as early as 1918, with the current federal policy being enacted in 1966, as the Uniform Time Act. Several changes occurred along the way, mostly changing the dates of starting and ceasing DST. The current enactment was part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The U.S. Department of Transportation is the federal agency responsible for overseeing DST and the country’s time zones. All states but Hawaii and Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation) observe DST. The territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands also do not observe DST. Federal law allows a state to exempt itself from observing daylight saving time, upon action by the state legislature to do so but does not allow the permanent observance of DST.

 

Mark Zuckerberg shifted Facebook’s focus to groups after the 2016 election, and it’s changed how people use the site

Published Sun, Feb 16 20209:07 AM EST 

Key Points

• Facebook users are now engaging with more content from groups as part of the social network’s shift toward meaningful communities.

• Facebook says there are more than 400 million people in groups that they find meaningful as of April 2019, up from 100 million in February 2017.

• The company recently spent an estimated $10 million to run a 60-second commercial during Super Bowl LIV to promote Facebook Groups.
  
  The complete article here: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/16/zuckerbergs-focus-on-facebook-groups-increases-facebook-engagement.html