1 Guam Code Ann. § 1010
Terms Used In 1 Guam Code Ann. § 1010
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
1966 (Public Law 89-387).
SOURCE: GC § 223, added by P.L. 5-025 (Mar. 23, 1959). P.L. 9-058 (May 1, 1967) amended § 223, but this amendment was not codified. Codified to this section by P.L. 15-104:1 (Mar. 5, 1980), with Legislative History stating that the section “”gives effect to P.L. 9-58, though in simpler language.””
COMPILER’S COMMENT: The United States Congress enacted the Uniform Time Act of 1966 and included Guam within the definition of a State. By so doing, the Act required that Guam either follow the provisions of § 3(a) of the Act which required all of the United States to go on Daylight Savings Time at the same time and go off Daylight Savings Time at the same time each year or exempt itself from such provisions and remain on Standard Time the whole year. Guam, by P.L.
9-58 (uncodified, but noted in the 1970 Govt. Code, Vol. 1, § 223) placed
Guam on permanent Standard Time. Thus, the Governor has no further authority to promulgate Daylight Savings Time by Executive Order.
While the Uniform Time Act of 1966 did establish that Guam was to be treated as a State for purposes of going on and off Daylight Savings Time, it did not set as Standard Time Zone for Guam. This is because the time zones established ended with the zone centered around 150NW Latitude. Guam, of course, sits at about 144NE Latitude. Therefore, the Legislature may take three courses of action. It may keep existing law and have Guam remain on Guam Standard Time throughout the year. It may repeal the last sentence of this sentence of this Section, whereupon Guam will automatically, under Federal law, go on and off Daylight
Time along with the rest of the U.S. (except for those states, such as Hawaii, which have exempted themselves – as Guam has – from the Federal provisions). Thirdly, the Legislature can keep the year-round Standard Time and alter the meridian around which Guam’s time is determined so that, say, Guam Standard Time would be advanced by one hour or one-half hour year round. In any event, Guam must abide by the Federal Law in following, or not following Daylight Savings Time.