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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 8, 2019 04:42 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Scott Martin |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Resolution urging Congress to make daylight saving time permanent in the United States |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution urging Congress to adopt legislation to end the archaic tradition of changing the clocks for daylight saving time in the United States. Many believe daylight saving time began to help farmers, but this is a misconception. The practice began temporarily during World War I as a fuel-saving measure and was reinstated briefly during World War II. It was made a permanent fixture for most American states and territories in 1966 when President Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act. Some studies show that the twice-a-year change actually leads to an increase of car accidents, work-related injuries, risk of stroke and heart attacks, and a loss of productivity costing the United States economy over $400 million a year. Last year, Arizona celebrated 50 years without having to fall back or spring forward and Hawaii is exempt as well. Maine and Massachusetts have previously considered similar measures and, one year ago, the Florida legislature passed the “Sunshine Protection Act”, but it requires federal action to move the state into the Atlantic Time Zone. In response, Florida legislators Senators Marco Rubio, Rick Scott and Representative Vern Buchanan have introduced bills in Congress, one of which will make daylight saving time permanent for the entire nation. Appropriately, this bill is also called the “Sunshine Protection Act of 2019”. I hope you will consider joining me in co-sponsoring this resolution. |
Introduced as SR179