IN SCR0026

Urges the legislative council to assign a study committee to examine whether all 92 Indiana counties should be located in the Central Time Zone.

Notes that Indiana was originally in the Central Time Zone from 1883-1965 before 80 counties were reassigned to the Eastern Time Zone in the mid-1960s to facilitate financial and television transactions with the Eastern United States.

Argues that modern technology has eliminated the original convenience advantage of the Eastern Time Zone and that the three-hour time difference with the West Coast creates business communication difficulties, particularly with California (the ninth largest world economy).

Cites concerns that excessive morning darkness during the school year in Indiana's 80 Eastern Time Zone counties jeopardizes safety for 850,000 students and creates biological clock misalignment that harms educational performance, and correlates adverse sunlight schedules with increased obesity, teen car crash deaths, and student absenteeism rates in Indiana.

Notes that Senate Bill 127 (2005) directed the governor to petition the U.S. Department of Transportation for hearings on Indiana's time zone placement, and that 50 school boards and 25,000 citizens have signed resolutions supporting restoration of the Central Time Zone.