The move to make daylight saving time permanent is heading to the U.S. House of Representatives for a full chamber vote.
The legislation, otherwise known as the Sunshine Protection Act, would make daylight saving reign as the new permanent standard time year-round, meaning no moving the clocks back an hour in the fall and forward in the spring. However, there is an opt-out option. Currently, Hawaii does not recognize the time change, remaining on Hawaii Standard Time (HST), and the majority of Arizona remains on Mountain Standard Time (MST) throughout the year.
The House Rules Committee approved of the measure this week in a 6-4 vote, meaning it now goes to a full House vote. Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) said the move is supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans, outlining the “positive impacts on sleep schedules, energy conservation, motor vehicle safety, and our economy.”
“It’s clear that Americans want more daylight in the evenings and to end the biannual clock change,” bill author Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) said on Monday.
“I’m excited to share that tomorrow, the House will vote on my Sunshine Protection Act to make DST permanent and bring it one step closer to becoming law,” he added.
President Trump made the call in May for daylight saving to be made permanent.
“This is so important in that Hundreds of Millions of Dollars are spent every year by people, Cities, and States, being forced to change their Clocks. Many of these Clocks are located in Towers, and the cost of renting, or using, Heavy Equipment to do this twice a year is prohibitive!” Trump said in a Truth Social post, making it clear that he would work “very hard” to see this legislation signed into law.
“It’s time that people can stop worrying about the ‘Clock,’ not to mention all of the work and money that is spent on this ridiculous, twice yearly production. It will also be a very nice WIN for the Republican Party. Take it!” the commander-in-chief exclaimed.
“We are going with the far more popular alternative, Saving Daylight, which gives you a longer, brighter Day — And who can be against that — This is an easy one! Thank you to everyone who supported this important Bill, and especially Chairman Brett Guthrie and Vern Buchanan,” he added.
Notably, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed the legislation 48-1 in May.
One of the main critiques of making daylight savings permanent involve concerns over darker morning hours in the winter, which some say is dangerous for children going to school.
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established a national standard for daylight savings time, putting almost all states on the same page.
Read the full article here