To Do or Not to Do — The Changing of the Clock

Surveys say we’re all pretty fed up with the twice a year changing of the clock into, and out of, daylight savings time. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill making daylight savings time permanent.

It’s now sitting in the Senate.

President Trump has been pushing hard to get the bill passed. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said there is no consensus in the Senate to get it passed. “The President feels strongly on it like he does a lot of issues,” Thune said. “It’s something we’re having conversations about, but there’s no clear path forward or consensus on it yet.”

The bill is called the Sunshine Protection Act. Its strongest, and most vocal, opponent is Arkansas Republican, Sen. Tom Cotton. And while he opposes the bill, and others in the Senate cannot agree, an Associated Press/NORC poll says Americans want this done one way or another.

• 47% oppose the twice a year time change

• 12% support it

However, we — like the Senate — have mixed feelings as to whether daylight savings time should be permanent.

• 56% want it all the time

• 42% want Standard Time to be permanent

Florida Republican, Sen. Rick Scott is big supporter. He says people in his state are super tired of the twice yearly ritual. Scott believes a permanent daylight savings time will simplify and benefit all of our lives.

“For many Americans, an extra hour of daylight means more time to play outside with their kids, walk their dog, or spend time with neighbors,” he said in a post on X. “Americans work hard, and they deserve more free time to enjoy all the outdoors has to offer. It’s time to pass my Sunshine Protection Act [so] they can enjoy every ounce of sunshine.”

Washington Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray likes that the House passed the bill. She says they have given people all over this country what they actually want, and that’s to never have to change their clocks again!

“It’s not lost on me that Republicans still refuse to do literally anything to make life more affordable for families or to hold the Trump administration accountable for its daily abuse of power,” she said. “But if Congress can enact permanent Daylight Saving Time, I will take this opportunity to make it happen.”

Democrat Sen. Ed Markley agrees.

“The head-spinning ritual of falling back and springing forward has a very real impact on our economy, our health, and our happiness,” Markley said. “Let’s say goodbye to 4pm winter sunsets and pass the Sunshine Protection Act for permanent Daylight Saving Time — permanently springing forward for brighter evenings year-round.”

Sen. Cotton opposes the bill because some states closer to the equator will be negatively impacted. AccuWeather notes under daylight savings time, sunrise will be at 9am on January 15th in Indiana. Other parts of the country would see a sunrise at about 8am.

“No one likes changing the clock, me included,” Cotton said and noted a permanent change to daylight savings time will result in “absurdly late sunrises in the winter. Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.”

What most people don’t know is states have the right to not use daylight savings time and stick with standard time. Hawaii and Arizona are already doing just that.

Another surprise, 19 states have passed legislation to permanently enact daylight savings time if congress ever gets the job done. Among them are four PIA Western Alliance states:

• Idaho

• Montana

• Oregon

• Washington

Another part of the Sunshine Protection Act that people don’t know. If it finally passes the Senate and is signed into law by the president, each state will still have the right to make daylight savings time permanent or not. Some — like Hawaii and Arizona — may decide to opt out and keep standard time.

That, too, could be messy for Americans trying to figure out what time is what in each state.

Source link: Time — https://bit.ly/3VX1RLN