HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1604

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to the international date line.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The International Date Line (Date Line) is an imaginary north-south line on the surface of the earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean at approximately 180-degrees longitude and providing a fixed boundary on the globe where the calendar date resets.  The date changes as one travels east or west across the Date Line.  Crossing the Date Line heading east results in a day being subtracted, so that the traveler repeats the date to the west of the Date Line.  Crossing west results in a day being added; that is, the eastern-side date plus one calendar day.  Therefore, if it is 1:00 p.m. Monday on the eastern side of the Date Line, it is 1:00 p.m. Tuesday on the western side.

     Changing the Date Line so that Hawaii has the same calendar day as Japan and most of Asia would allow the State to share the same work week with Asia, and travelers would be able to fly from Hawaii to Asia on the same day.  Because a great deal of business in Hawaii is tied to Asia, such a change would greatly benefit that aspect of the economy.  This arrangement would also give Hawaii the distinction of being the first in the United States to begin each calendar day, which could help promote the State during certain events such as New Year's and elections.

     The purpose of this Act is to promote the State and strengthen ties between Hawaii and Asia by initiating efforts to amend the Date Line so that Hawaii shares the same calendar day as Japan.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The governor shall petition the United States Department of State to undertake efforts to amend the international dateline in a manner that places the State in the same calendar day as Japan.

     (b)  The governor shall submit a report to the legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2012 regular session, on the status and progress of the governor's petition in subsection (a).

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

International Date Line; Amendment; Japan

 

Description:

Requires the governor to request the federal government to undertake efforts to amend the international date line so that Hawaii shares the same calendar day as Japan.

 

 

 

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