DISCUSSION: Daylight Savings Time

Last updated on: March 15, 2024 at 5:55 am by Gene Veith

Last Sunday we switched to Daylight Savings Time, bringing back the great debate about whether to make it permanent, make Standard Time permanent, or keep switching depending on the season.

The two senators from Florida, Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, are pushing the Sunshine Protection Act, which passed the Senate unanimously in 2022 (but died in the House) and would mandate Daylight Savings Time year-round (which would presumably help tourism in the Sunshine State).

The medical profession, though, says it would be healthier to have Standard Time for everyone year round, since our internal clocks respond better to more light in the morning and get confused with more light in the evening, thus throwing off our sleep cycles.

Some states are considering one option or the other in their own legislatures. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 allows states to change to Standard Time permanently, but not Daylight Savings Time. But 19 states have already passed measures to adopt year-long Daylight Savings Time if Congress changes that law, while 9 are considering going to year-long Standard Time. (See if your state has made a decision here.)

Currently, two states have just said no to Daylight Savings Time and go by Standard Time year round. Those states are Arizona and Hawaii, neither of which is suffering from a lack of sunshine.

So what are your thoughts on the matter?

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