[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 35 (Thursday, March 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HALLOWEEN SAFETY ACT OF 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 2004

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr Speaker, today I introduced the Halloween Safety Act 
of 2004, legislation to change the date on which daylight saving time 
ends each year in the interest of the safety of our children. This is a 
companion bill to S. 1803, introduced by Senator Michael Enzi of 
Wyoming.
  As we all know, the holiday of Halloween falls on October 31st, 
typically just a few days after the switch from daylight saving time to 
standard time. As a result of turning our clocks back, many young 
children go out to trick-or-treat around their neighborhoods or towns 
when darkness has already fallen by five or six o'clock in the evening. 
Parents are faced with the decision of whether or not to allow their 
children to go trick-or-treating in the dark, which creates a safety 
hazard for children running from house to house, and for motorists who 
must contend with children darting out into the streets.
  Valerie Vainieri Huttle, the Chairwoman of the Bergen County Board of 
Chosen Freeholders, and David L. Ganz, who is both a Bergen County 
Freeholder and the Mayor of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, have raised this 
issue at the county government level and have asked that I act on a 
federal level to address this problem. The Halloween Safety Act of 2004 
extends daylight saving time each year until the first Sunday in 
November, instead of the last Sunday in October, thereby ensuring that 
Halloween falls during daylight saving time each year.
  I am proud to acknowledge that this safety problem has already been 
partly addressed in Bergen County, New Jersey. Fair Lawn's beloved 
police officer, the late Mary Ann Collura, implemented a special ``glow 
stick'' program so that young children would be adequately lit and 
visible as they walk the streets trick-or-treating. Since her untimely 
death in the line of duty last April, the glow stick program has gone 
countywide in Bergen County, thanks to the initiative of County 
Executive Dennis McNerney and his staff, Bergen County Prosecutor John 
Molinelli, and the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
  By modestly changing the date that daylight saving time ends and that 
standard time begins, children in Bergen County and across the country 
would be safer and would have extended hours of daylight in which to 
participate in this holiday. I commend Freeholders Huttle and Ganz for 
sponsoring a resolution adopted by the Bergen County Board of Chosen 
Freeholders urging the change of daylight saving time, and I thank them 
for their commitment to the safety of the children of New Jersey and 
our Nation. I urge prompt consideration of the Halloween Safety Act of 
2004.

                                H.R. __

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Halloween Safety Act of 
     2004''.

     SEC. 2. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME EXTENDED TO FIRST WEEK IN 
                   NOVEMBER.

       (a) In General.--Section 3(a) of the Uniform Time Act of 
     1966 (15 U.S.C. 260a(a)) is amended by striking ``last Sunday 
     of October'' and inserting ``first Sunday of November''.
       (b) Effect on Existing State Elections.--Any law in effect 
     on the date of the enactment of this Act which is--
       (1) adopted pursuant to section 3(a)(2) of the Uniform Time 
     Act of 1966 by a State with parts thereof in more than one 
     time zone; or
       (2) adopted pursuant to section 3(a)(1) of such Act by a 
     State that lies entirely within one time zone,

     shall be held and considered to remain in effect as the 
     exercise by that State of the exemption permitted by such Act 
     unless that State, by law, provides that such exemption shall 
     not apply.
       ((c) Adjustment of Operating Hours of Day Time 
     Broadcasters.--(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law 
     or any regulation issued under law, the Federal 
     Communications Commission shall, consistent with any existing 
     treaty or other agreement, make such adjustment by general 
     rules, or by interim action pending such general rules, with 
     respect to hours of operation of daytime standard amplitude 
     modulation broadcast stations as may be consistent with the 
     public interest in receiving interference-free service.
       (2) The general rules, or interim action, undertaken under 
     paragraph (1) may include variances with respect to operating 
     power and other technical operating characteristics.
       (3) At any time after the adoption of general rules under 
     paragraph (1), the general rules may be varied with respect 
     to particular stations and areas because of the exigencies in 
     each case.




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