HB 1259 - Eliminate the best part of summer?

At GNDC, we champion policies that fuel economic growth, workforce efficiency, and business success. HB 1259, a proposal to eliminate daylight saving time (DST) and keep North Dakota on standard time year-round, threatens to do the opposite. While the idea of scrapping time changes may sound simple, the reality is a loss of evening daylight that businesses—and North Dakotans—rely on. We don't love 1259 - it creates more problems then it solves. 

A HIT TO OPERATIONS

• Disruptions to Interstate Commerce – North Dakota doesn’t operate in a bubble. Keeping standard time while most of the country observes DST would throw off scheduling for industries tied to national markets, from finance to transportation.
• Workforce Efficiency at Risk – A big chunk of North Dakota’s economy depends on seasonal work. Cutting two hours of usable daylight each day during peak months? That’s a major setback.
• Border Town Confusion – Cities like Grand Forks/East Grand Forks and Fargo/Moorhead function as single communities, with residents and businesses moving seamlessly across state lines. If North Dakota stays on standard time while Minnesota observes DST, these cities will be split between two time zones for half the year—creating logistical headaches for businesses, commuters, and schools.
• Impact on Tourism and Retail – When the sun sets earlier, people head home sooner. Restaurants, entertainment venues, and retail businesses thrive on summer evenings, and an earlier sunset could mean lost revenue.

INDUSTRY IN FOCUS: CONSTRUCTION
North Dakota’s construction industry depends on daylight, and the current setup makes the most of it. Cities like Bismarck and Fargo don’t allow construction work before 7:00 AM, meaning workers can’t take advantage of an earlier sunrise. If this bill passes, they’ll lose an hour in the morning and another at night—cutting into wages, productivity, and project timelines. Even if start times were adjusted, nobody wants to hear heavy equipment backing up at 5:00 AM. (beep beep beep beep)

HB 1259 would disrupt business, shrink the seasonal workday, and shorten the best part of summer evenings. North Dakota’s economy and quality of life are better with DST in place.
GNDC urges lawmakers to vote NO on HB 1259. Let’s keep North Dakota moving forward—on time.