HB9 • 2026

Eastern Daylight Time; Commonwealth shall observe year-round upon enactment by Congress, etc.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 1-253 of the Code of Virginia, relating to time zone; permanent daylight saving time in the Commonwealth.</p>

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: McNamara
Last action: 2026-02-06
Official status: Continued
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text and summary do not provide details on the process or requirements after Congress passes a law allowing states to use daylight saving time all year.

Permanent Daylight Saving Time in Virginia

This bill changes the time zone rules for Virginia so it will use daylight saving time all year long if Congress allows this.

What This Bill Does

Changes a law about time zones in Virginia.
Makes Virginia use Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) all year round, not just during summer.

Who It Names or Affects

People living in Virginia
Businesses and organizations in Virginia

Terms To Know

Eastern Daylight Time (EDT): The time when clocks are set one hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time, used during daylight saving time.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill will only take effect if Congress passes a law allowing states to use daylight saving time all year.
It does not specify what happens if Virginia decides to change its mind later.

Bill History

2026-02-06 Rules
Continued to 2027 in Rules (Voice Vote)
2026-02-02 Studies Subcommittee
Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote)
2026-01-30 Studies Subcommittee
Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee
2025-12-19 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101668D
2025-12-19 Rules
Referred to Committee on Rules

Official Summary Text

Time zone; permanent daylight saving time in the Commonwealth.
Provides that the Commonwealth shall observe Eastern Daylight Time (Eastern Standard Time, advanced one hour) year-round upon the enactment by Congress of a law allowing states to observe Eastern Daylight Time year-round.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

A BILL to amend and reenact §
1-253
of the Code of Virginia, relating to time zone; permanent daylight saving time in the Commonwealth.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
1-253
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§
1-253
. Time zone.

The
United States Eastern Standard Time shall be in effect in all parts of the Commonwealth except during the period when
the
United States Eastern Daylight Time
shall be in effect
,
as provided by federal law
, shall be in effect in all parts of the Commonwealth at all times
. This section shall not be construed to be in contravention of federal law, or duly authorized orders of the
United States
U.S.
Secretary of Transportation with respect to the time zones of the United States and the application of standard time to interstate commerce and other matters within such zones.

In all laws, statutes, orders, decrees, rules
,
and regulations relating to the time of performance of any act by any officer or agency of the Commonwealth, or any political subdivision thereof, or relating to the time in which any rights shall accrue or determine, or within which any act shall or shall not be performed by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth, and in all public schools, institutions of the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions, and contracts or choses in action made or to be performed in the Commonwealth, it shall be understood and intended that the time applicable thereto or referred to or implied therein shall be the United States Eastern
Standard Time, or the United States Eastern
Daylight Time
, when and during such is in effect
.

For purposes of this section, "United States Eastern Daylight Time" means the standard time, as described in 15 U.S.C. § 261, advanced one hour.

2. That the provisions of this act shall become effective upon the enactment of an amendment to 15 U.S.C. § 260, or another applicable law, that authorizes states to observe United States Eastern Daylight Time year-round.