WASHINGTON- Sunday’s return to Daylight Savings Time (DST) will result in many people oversleeping an hour after forgetting to move their clocks forward before going to bed on Saturday night. In Washington, the change means it’s time to renew the debate over eliminating the antiquated practice of turning clocks back and forth twice a year.
Originally proposed in 1784 by Benjamin Franklin for the purpose of reducing the use of candles, the United States adopted the practice in 1918 under the Standard Time Act of 1918, to conserve coal resources during the war. Shortly after World War I, America reverted to standard time. WW II revived the DST to once again preserve coal and it has remained in place ever since.
New legislation in Washington could soon make this practice a thing of the past.
US Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) reintroduced the “Sunshine Protection Act” which would end the practice of changing clocks twice per year. A one-page version of Runbio’s bill that makes DST permanent can be found here. The bill is co-sponsored by several Senators from both political parties.
“This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid,” Rubio said, adding “Locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support. This Congress, I hope that we can finally get this done.”
State legislators in New York are looking to do away with the ritual of time changes as well. State Senator James Skoufis (D-Cornwall) carries a bill in the state legislature that would fix the state on a single-time schedule.
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 mandates the entire country observe DST, but permits individual states to opt out of the practice. While states can opt out and observe year-round standard time, they are not permitted to establish year-round DST without congressional approval.
Supporters of a permanent national shift to DST claim longer daylight hours promote safety on the roadways and for pedestrians. They also say it is good for the economy because consumers are more likely to visit restaurants, go shopping, or recreate during daylight hours. Longer daylight hours also promote more active lifestyles.
One clear benefit, according to area first responders, to keeping the twice-per-year time change is the important reminder it serves for individuals to check their smoke alarms. According to the American Red Cross, an ideal time to change the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is when the clocks shift.
Mid-Hudson News asked area residents their thoughts as to whether or not to do away with the time change. What do you think? Check out the video below.
