Daylight Saving Time Could Be Permanent
We live in a world that is very divided. No one can seem to agree on anything.
Until now.
Marco Rubio presented a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent yesterday (March 15, 2022). It's called the Sunshine Protection Act. Apparently, he's been pushing it for years. It passed in the Senate yesterday. Well, technically it wasn't voted on, but no one objected so technically it passed by unanimous consent.
This comes just after we all changed our clocks ahead. Every time we change our clocks a bunch of hullabaloo is brushed up. Should we keep doing it? Should we not?
But, don't get too excited. The House still has to pass the bill and President Biden has to sign it. And, even if everything goes well, it wouldn't go into effect for a year.
But, there is a possibility that this time next year we will spring forward for good.
Arizona and Hawaii already don't do Daylight Saving Time. A bunch of other states have passed laws or are trying to pass laws to try to make it permanent. However, the federal government has to give them the go-ahead and that hasn't happened yet. Apparently, Hawaii and Arizona were way ahead of the curve.
In a poll done last fall 25% of Americans like it the way it is and 43% would rather keep Standard Time the whole year. 32% prefer Daylight Saving Time. Based on this poll, when we fall back should be for good.
The main argument against the permanent switch seems to be the unknown side effects. But the time change also has side effects. Apparently, heart attacks increase around the time change and anyone with pets or infants seems to hate it.
Fun fact: Did you know President Nixon actually did make Daylight Saving Time permanent back in 1974 into 1975? It only lasted 16 months because people hated it. The biggest complaint was from parents who didn't like that their kids were going to school in the dark.
Here in the Midwest, it's basically dark all Winter anyway. No biggie.
A more recent change happened in 2007. I don't remember this, but Daylight Saving Time was extended by a little more than a month. Before 2007, we would change our clocks the first Sunday in April and again in October. Now, it runs from the second Sunday in March and ends in November.
Sources: (NBC News / NY Times)