[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1554 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1554

To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform Time Act of 1966 
   to establish a single poll closing time in the continental United 
  States for Presidential general elections, set Presidential general 
elections on the first Saturday in November, and extend daylight saving 
                 time to the first Sunday in November.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 31, 1993

Mr. Markey introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to 
     the Committees on House Administration and Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform Time Act of 1966 
   to establish a single poll closing time in the continental United 
  States for Presidential general elections, set Presidential general 
elections on the first Saturday in November, and extend daylight saving 
                 time to the first Sunday in November.

    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 ``The Presidential Election Day Reform 
Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. SINGLE POLL CLOSING TIME FOR PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTIONS IN 
              THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

    (a) Each polling place in the continental United States shall 
close, with respect to a Presidential general election, at 9:00 o'clock 
post meridiem, eastern daylight time. Any person who, as determined 
under the law of the State involved, arrives at a polling place after 
that time shall not be permitted to vote in the Presidential general 
election.
    (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a polling place shall close, 
with respect to a Presidential general election, as provided by the law 
of the State involved, in the case of a polling place at which each 
person who is eligible to vote has voted.
    (c) As used in this section:
            (1) The term ``continental United States'' means the States 
        of the United States other than Alaska and Hawaii and the 
        District of Columbia.
            (2) The term ``presidential general election'' means the 
        election for electors of President and Vice President.
            (3) The term ``State'' means a State of the United States 
        and the District of Columbia.

SEC. 3. EXTENDED DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME.

    Section 3(a) of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15 U.S.C. 260a(a)) is 
amended by striking out ``last Sunday of October'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``first Sunday of November''.

SEC. 4. PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION ON SATURDAY.

    Section 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended by striking 
out ``on the Tuesday next after the first Monday'' and inserting in 
lieu thereof ``on the first Saturday''.

SEC. 5. ADJUSTMENT OF OPERATING HOURS OF DAYTIME BROADCASTERS.

    (a) Notwithstanding any other law or any regulation issued under 
any such 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, 
including the public's interest in receiving interference-free service.
    (b) Such general rules, or interim action, may include variances 
with respect to operating power and other technical operating 
characteristics.
    (c) Subsequent to the adoption of such general rules, they may be 
varied with respect to particular stations and areas because of the 
exigencies in each case.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, except that if such effective date occurs in any calendar 
year after March 1, this Act shall take effect on the first day of the 
following year.

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