LB 302 Legislature · 109th Legislature (2025-2026)

Eliminate daylight saving time

Nebraska's LB 302 would eliminate the state's observance of daylight saving time (DST), switching to permanent Central Standard Time (CST). It amends election timing laws to set fixed poll hours (7 a.m.-7 p.m. in mountain time zones, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. in central time zones) and updates state employee leave policies to reference CST instead of DST. The bill requires neighboring states (Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Wyoming) to also adopt permanent standard time before Nebraska's change takes effect. This directly affects all Nebraskans by ending biannual clock changes, impacting election schedules, work hours for state employees, and daily routines.

Bill status died 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Legislature Passage

Mar 2025

Legislature Passage

Mar 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 15, 2025 Last action Apr 17, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrollment and Review ER18 → Final Reading · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill eliminates daylight saving time in Nebraska, permanently setting the state on standard time year-round. It also updates election polling hours and ballot deadlines to reflect this permanent shift, ensuring consistency across all time zones in the state. Additionally, the bill clarifies the sick leave balance date to use Central Standard Time rather than generic 'central time' and adjusts vacation leave accrual schedules for state employees.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of timekeeping regulations by removing the biannual clock change, making the time zone rules permanent rather than seasonal.

REQUIREMENT

Eliminates daylight saving time in Nebraska, requiring the state to remain on standard time year-round.

Replaces the term 'central time' with 'Central Standard Time' in the sick leave statute to ensure the balance date is always consistent.

TIMELINE

Updates election polling hours to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. for Mountain time zones and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. for Central time zones, removing the need for seasonal adjustments.

Changes the deadline for receiving mail-in ballots to 7 p.m. for Mountain time zones and 8 p.m. for Central time zones, removing seasonal variations.

DEFINITION

Amends the definition of standard time to explicitly exempt Nebraska from federal daylight saving time provisions.

Floor votes · Legislature Mar 11, 2025

How they voted

27–15

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 49

Mar 11, 2025

N Nonpartisan49

27 Yea 15 Nay 7

55% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 17, 2026

Committee

Indefinitely postponed

legislature

Mar 11, 2025

Legislature · Passed

Enrollment and Review ER18 adopted

legislature

Feb 7, 2025

Legislature · Passed

Placed on General File

legislature

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee

legislature

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Date of introduction

legislature

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors