Daylight Saving Time is Back Again on the 2nd Sunday of March

Daylight Saving** Time is coming back again! Yes, this will take place on Sunday, March 12, 2023. When the clock strikes 2 a.m. that morning, you will lose one hour of beauty sleep. Daylight Saving Time begins in most of the U.S. on the 2nd Sunday of March.

So try to get to bed early that night or you may feel grumpy on Monday! Especially when you realize it feels a lot darker that morning. But the good thing is, it'll be a lot lighter out at dinnertime!

** Contrary to what many of us think, it is called Daylight Saving Time, not Savings Time. Make sure to correct anyone who says it wrong if you really want to get on their nerves. But the reality of it is that we're not saving any daylight, we're just shifting it around.

MY VENTING SESSION ON DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

Before the adoption of standard time zones in the United States, cities, towns, and communities set their own local times based on the sun’s position. In 1883, railroad companies adopted a system of standard time to synchronize movement and trade across the nation. The U.S. adopted an official system of standard time in 1918.

The Standard Time Act of 1918 incorporated a DST mandate from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. Congress repealed the DST mandate in 1919. President Woodrow Wilson vetoed the repeal. Congress overrode his veto.

Beginning in 1920, DST was a local state/city option. Here’s the history of DST legislation in California:

1930: Prop 7 was but on the ballot to implement DST at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in April until 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in September. The initiative failed.

1940: Prop 5 was put on the ballot to implement DST. The initiative failed again.

1949: Third time’s a charm. This time it passed.

1962: Prop 6 was passed, which extended DST from the last Sunday in September to the last Sunday in October.

2018: Californians voted in favor of Proposition 7 by a margin of 59.75% to 40.25%. Voting in favor of the proposition allowed the California State Legislature to change the DST period by a 2/3rds vote and to establish permanent, year-round DST in California by a 2/3rds vote if federal law is changed to allow for permanent DST.

Why the holdup?

The holdup is at the federal level, not the state level: Voting yes on Prop 7 was just the first step in the process. California is one of 14 states that introduced legislation in 2019 to shift to permanent daylight saving time. States cannot move forward with permanent daylight saving time without authorization from the federal government. As of November 2019, there were 4 bills awaiting action in Congress that would allow California to be on permanent DST. These were:

H.R. 1556 “Sunshine Protection Act of 2019,” introduced to the House 3/6/19. The bill makes DST the new, permanent standard time. States with areas exempt from DST may choose the standard time for those areas. The bill was pending a hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. S.670 is an identical bill in the Senate, pending a hearing in the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. These have gone nowhere.

H.R. 1601 “Daylight Act” and H.R. 2389 “To allow states to elect to observe year-round DST” both authorize states to shift to permanent daylight saving time and are pending hearings in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. These have also gone nowhere.

State of California Smog Check Program Requirements

I was about to renew my auto registration online as I’ve done mindlessly for many years, until I looked more carefully at the notice and I read the dreaded “STOP: SMOG Certification Required” imprinted near the top of the notice. I’ve owned the minivan for eight years and wondered, why NOW!?

The California Smog Check Program has been in place since 1984.and is administered by the Bureau of Automotive Repair, or BAR. BAR licenses independently owned smog check stations throughout the state.

THE BASICS

The BAR indicates a smog check is required EVERY OTHER YEAR as part of the vehicle registration process. It is also required when a vehicle changes ownership or when it is registered for the first time in California.

Every other year? That can’t be, because this was the first time I’ve been asked to do a smog check in the eight years since I owned the car, right?

The BAR goes on to explain that gasoline-powered vehicles, hybrid vehicles and alternative-fuel vehicles that are model year 1976 and newer require a smog check, with the following exceptions:

• Eight model years and newer do not require a biennial smog check.

• Four model years and newer do not require a change-of-ownership check.

In English, this means you need to add 8 to the model year of your vehicle to determine when you need to start doing biennial, or every other year, smog checks. For example, my 2014 minivan needs a smog test starting in 2022. And if I purchase a used 2018 vehicle in 2022, it would be subject to a smog check.

SMOG CHECKS ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR:

• 1975 or older vehicles

• Eight model years or newer vehicles

• Four model years or newer vehicles changing ownership

• Electric vehicles

• Motorcycles

• Tricycles (OK, I decided to throw this in to make sure you were paying attention.)

• Diesel vehicles model year 1997 and older

• Diesel vehicles with a gross weight of over 14,000 pounds

OTHER

Wait a second, my 2014 minivan is eight years old. Why this year, not next year, for the first smog check? Because the state assumes that model years are released in the calendar year prior to a vehicle’s model year. So regardless whether I purchased my brand new 2014 minivan in 2013 or 2014, it is assumed to be one model year old in 2014. That means, it is theoretically turning nine model years old in 2022. Hence, the need for a smog check for the first time in 2022.

If your smog check passes, hurray! The smog “certificate” is electronically submitted to the DMV and you are on your way to renew your vehicle registration. If it fails the test, you need to get it fixed, or you can visit a “smog check referee” for a second opinion.

“But I don’t want to get a smog check!” Well, then buy an electric car or a model 1975 or older car. Or buy a new car before your car turns eight model years old. Or move to a state like Alabama that doesn’t require emissions testing.

IRS Announces 2022 Tax Filing Deadline for California Storm Victims Extended to May 15, 2023

The IRS issued the press release below this morning, Tuesday, January 10, 2023, indicating that individual tax returns and payments for those living in counties designated by FEMA as disaster areas will be extended to May 15, 2023. We anticipate the California Franchise Tax Board will follow suit, but no word from the FTB at this time. (California has an automatic 6-month extension to file returns, but taxes still are required to be paid by the original tax filing date.) UPDATE: California has conformed to the extended tax filing dates.

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Victims of severe winter storms, flooding, and mudslides in California beginning January 8, 2023, now have until May 15, 2023, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This means that individuals and households that reside or have a business in Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Ventura, Yolo and Yuba counties qualify for tax relief. Other areas added later to the disaster area will also qualify for the same relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the disaster relief page on IRS.gov.

The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on January 8, 2023. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until May 15, 2023, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.

This includes 2022 individual income tax returns due on April 18, as well as various 2022 business returns normally due on March 15 and April 18. Among other things, this means that eligible taxpayers will have until May 15 to make 2022 contributions to their IRAs and health savings accounts.

In addition, farmers who choose to forgo making estimated tax payments and normally file their returns by March 1 will now have until May 15, 2023, to file their 2022 return and pay any tax due. The May 15, 2023, deadline also applies to the quarterly estimated tax payments, normally due on January 17, 2023, and April 18, 2023. This means that individual taxpayers can skip making the fourth quarter estimated tax payment, normally due January 17, 2023, and instead include it with the 2022 return they file, on or before May 15.

The May 15 deadline also applies to the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on January 31 and April 30, 2023. In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after January 8, 2023, and before January 23, 2023, will be abated as long as the tax deposits are made by January 23, 2023.

The IRS disaster relief page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.

In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.

Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2023 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (2022, normally filed this tax season). Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number – 3691-EM − on any return claiming a loss. See Publication 547 for details.

The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by these storms and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit disasterassistance.gov

www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-announces-tax-relief-for-victims-of-severe-winter-storms-flooding-and-mudslides-in-california

My Experience Renewing my Driver’s License and Getting a REAL ID Card

In 2020 I received a driver’s license renewal notice from the California DMV. I received the renewal notice four months prior to the expiration date. The notice indicated that my last two renewals had been by mail and that the upcoming renewal required me to renew at a DMV office.

I wondered why they were requiring me to go into a DMV office to renew the license this time. According to the DMV, in order to renew by mail, you must provide your Social Security number and be under 70 years old when your current license expires, and answer “no” to all of the following questions:

1. Have your last two licenses been renewed by mail?

2. Has your license been expired for over one year?

3. Does your license expire more than 60 days from today?

4. Are you currently on any type of driving probation?

5. Are you changing or correcting your name?

6. Do you have a driver’s license from more than one state or jurisdiction?

7. Within the past two years, were you convicted of any vehicle code moving violations, did you fail to appear in court for any vehicle code moving violation, were you suspended for DUI or refuse or fail to complete an alcohol screening test or have you been at fault in one or more collisions?

OK, no problem, it is what it is.

The renewal notice first required me to complete an application online at www.dmv.ca.gov.

To complete the application, you must create an Online Service account on the DMV website. They require a two-factor authentication to prove your digital identity, which means you’ll need an email address as well as a way to receive a text message or phone call for a six-digit confirmation code. If you do not want to do this at your phone or computer, you can do it on a terminal at a DMV office.

After you create the account, you will need to confirm your name, address, Social Security number (if applicable) and the type of card you are applying for. They will also ask if you want to register to vote and if you want to be a registered organ and tissue donor; however these will not be completed until you visit a field office to complete the registration process.

So after completing the application, which was actually quite painless and quick, you will receive a confirmation code. Bring the code to the DMV office to continue the license renewal process.

The next stop is scheduling an appointment. For me, this was the broken step. There’s a link provided to make an appointment. You select an office and look for a time. I searched five different DMV offices and there were absolutely no times available. But as one might expect, the appointment system did not give any hints as to other DMV offices with available openings, nor did it show the “next available” day and time. For me, this was an exercise in futility. Truly a glitch in the system when you have to spend hours attempting to schedule an appointment online…to save time.

So instead, I drove to the Thousand Oaks DMV office at 8am on a Tuesday morning.

This was a great move. No line! No hassle!

Awaiting my turn at the Thousand Oaks DMV.

I had all the documentation with me, including the renewal form and $36 renewal fee.

But I decided to up the ante and upgrade my license to the REAL ID card. The REAL ID card is a federally-mandated card that, unless you prefer to carry your passport with you, will be required to board domestic airline flights or access some federal facilities beginning May 3, 2023 (originally October 1, 2020…it has been extended several times due to the pandemic). May 7, 2025 (extended another two years on 12/5/22).

So for example, on May 3, 2023 you have a flight from Burbank to Vegas. If all you have is your standard driver’s license, they won’t let you fly; you’ll need either the REAL ID or a U.S. passport even for a domestic flight. MORE ON REAL ID

The key is being prepared. I was prepared for REAL ID. There’s an online checklist at www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/how-do-i-get-a-real-id/real-id-checklist that includes the following:

1. Proof of identity – such as U.S. passport or passport card, certified, copy of U.S. birth certificate, etc.

2. Full name^ – if your true full name is not listed on the identity document, you will need to provide a document that shows that.

3. SSN – you need to prove your SSN by showing a Social Security card, W-2 or other items.

4. Where do you live – you will need two different documents showing your current address, such as utility bills, medical documents, mortgage bill, etc.

With all of the above in hand, plus a backup document. I showed the documentation at the front counter after waiting briefly in a line. The clerk was impressed with my organizational skills. On to the next step in the process.

^ As additional clarification, if your current name is different than your maiden name, bring documentation showing your name change(s) - e.g. marriage certificates or other original or certified documentation showing the name change.

They gave me a number. The line was extremely short on a Tuesday morning (though when I was done around 9:15 am, there was quite a few more people waiting). After about 10 minutes, my number was called.

I went to the counter and told the clerk that I was there to renew my license and to migrate to the REAL ID. She asked for all my documents. She reviewed them, taking photos of most of them as I recall. She also had me provide a thumbprint. All digital. No ink involved.

After just a few minutes’ wait, the next step was a vision test. I passed!

Next up, photo time. She sent me to the photo guy and told me to come back when done. There was no line. Just a quick “stand there behind the line” and a quick smile and I was on my way back to the counter.

The final step was my only “fumble.” The renewal fees paid at the DMV office currently cannot be paid via credit card – choices are cash, check, money order or debit cards. Doh! Luckily, I had visited the ATM recently and gave her cash. Credit cards can actually be used for internet based transactions – but not for in person and by mail transactions. At least not at this time.

That was it. Done! She printed my receipt and a temporary license, should for some reason I not receive the new license prior to the expiration date of my current license. Fingers crossed!

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THE EPILOGUE

On Monday, August 26th. I came home to a REAL ID card in the mail., which was great news. The postmark on the envelope was August 22nd. So I’m happy!

But…getting this card took more effort than I originally thought. My license expired in mid-July but I was given a temporary license to carry with me until the new card was received. I waited and called and waited. No card.

I called and told them the situation. No card. Was it sent? No. Why? I was asked what document did I bring to show my proof of identity. I told them I brought my passport. DMV indicated the Department of Homeland Security was reviewing my documents to verify they were legitimate. Well, ok.

Two weeks later, no card. I called again and told them my temporary license was expiring soon. They told me I could call the DHS/DMV Legal Presence Unit to find out what the holdup was. This was getting a bit time consuming. Where the hell is my card?

But I called the number, and each call ended with “We are currently experiencing higher than average call volume. Please try your call later.” Higher than average, eh? Does that mean when call volume is lower than average they answer the phone immediately?

So, the day before my temporary license was to expire (and about a month after my actual license had expired), I had the pleasure of visiting the Thousand Oaks DMV again.

When I told the clerk my situation - that my REAL ID never came in the mail and my temporary license was about to expire, of course she sent me to a line to apply for a new driver’s license.

I was unsure of why I would have to do that. Do I start the whole process again? I was completely unprepared for that.

So I went back and stood in the line again, and this time, another woman understood the situation and issued me a new temporary license on the spot. She also told me the REAL ID would be mailed to me soon.

Success at last!

Most of the folks I dealt with at the DMV were nice and courteous. But it was glaringly apparent that the organization needs a complete re-do. The DMV needs to hire experts to review processes in place and how they can be improved. Processes currently seem so unnecessarily complicated and confusing that frustration is bound to happen.

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2020. UPDATED IN 2022.

Purchase a Snoopy License Plate to Support California Museums

The California Association of Museums (CAM) has a program called the Snoopy Plate initiative. CAM has partners with the California DMV to issue a special license plate featuring Snoopy, the world's favorite beagle. Snoopy license plates are available at www.snoopyplate.com.

Proceeds from the official Snoopy license plate support California’s museums through a competitive grant program.

Each plate features a reproduction of an original Snoopy drawing by PEANUTS creator Charles M. Schulz. Snoopy will be doing his happy dance, probably in anticipation of a visit to a local museum in and around Ventura County (and other parts of California).

Standard Snoopy license plates are just $50 and $40 per year to renew. Personalized plates are $103 (as of 2022) and $83 to renew.

Go to www.snoopyplate.com today to sign up for your Snoopy license plate.

Street Number Painting on Your Curb in Thousand Oaks

Did you ever wonder about those notices taped to your mailbox asking for $20 to paint a new curb address at your house? I think I paid $10 one time years ago and they did do a good job (and it saved me the time and effort of attempting to do it myself).

But these notices never seem to have a name or phone number on them. Just mysteriously taped to my mailbox.

According to the Thousand Oaks Public Works Department at 805.449.2400, this practice requires an encroachment permit and to date no one has filed for one.  The permit costs $320 (in 2022 - it was $126 in 2017) for an entrepreneur, or no cost for non-profit organizations and fundraisers (booster clubs, etc.).  The permit is good for a year.

Public Works requires that the provider's name and number be indicated on the notice.

More information at www.toaks.org/home/showdocument?id=692.

Anyone can paint their own curb address.  The numbers must be at least 3 inches high (preferably 4 inches), stenciled in black on white background.  It must cover up the previous numbers but if there weren't any, they must be within 3 feet of the driveway on the same side as the house.

The recent notice offered an American flag in full color painted along with the address for an extra $5.  This is very patriotic and if everyone did it would be quite cool, but technically the City only allows numbers on the curb, no images.  So fly the flag high but don't be painting it on the curb.

You are now educated on the topic of curb address painting in Thousand Oaks.

Originally posted in January 2009. Updated August 2017. and 2022.