RAYS AND SHINE
Sunshine Protection Act to change sunrise & sunset time if Daylight Saving Time is made permanent – here’s what to know
THE Sunshine Protection Act could change sunrise and sunset times - and make Daylight Saving Time permanent as of 2023.
The new legislation was passed by the Senate on Tuesday with unanimous consent.
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Under the proposed legislation, Americans would no longer have to change their clocks twice per year.
Instead, daylight saving time would become a permanent fixture, with the sunset occurring after 5pm consistently in most parts of the US.
“We got it past the Senate, and now the clock is ticking to get the job done so we never have to switch our clocks again,” Senator Patty Murray said on the Senate floor.
“So I urge my colleagues in the House to act as swiftly as the Senate — let’s get this bill on President Biden’s desk and deliver more sunshine to Americans across the country.”
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"It’s time for Congress to take up our bipartisan legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent and brighten the coldest months with an extra hour of afternoon sun," tweeted Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who co-sponsored the legislation.
The bill is now headed for the House. But it is unclear if, or when, House leadership will push the legislation forward for a vote.
If passed, the act will be sent to President Joe Biden.
Daylight saving time began in 1918 in an attempt to create more hours of daylight during the Spring and Summer months to conserve energy. But research has never proven that more electricity is saved during daylight saving time.
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It didn't become a national standard until the 1960s. In 2007, it was extended by four weeks.
However, not all states abide by daylight saving time, as it is not required.
Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not observe it. So under the proposed legislation, those states and any others who had not previously followed daylight saving time would choose their standard time.
Passage of the legislation could have a positive impact on the collective health of Americans.
Sleep experts usually recommend maintaining a steady sleep schedule for health purposes. But daylight saving time tends to disrupt that.
Not to mention the fact that researchers in 1999 found a significant uptick in car accidents on the Monday after daylight saving time begins, presumably due to the loss of sleep.
Even the loss of one hour of sleep can have a negative impact on health, studies show, and can lead to sleep depravation and additional health issues.
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While some states have passed laws in hopes of operating under daylight saving time year-round, federal law must be changed first.
If passed, the Sunshine Protection Act would allow states to make the shift permanent.
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