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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/18/2024 10:33 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20230&cosponId=39942
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: February 24, 2023 09:47 AM
From: Senator Scott Martin
To: All Senate members
Subject: Resolution Urging U.S. Congress to Adopt Legislation Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent
 
In the near future, I plan to re-introduce a resolution urging U.S. Congress to adopt legislation effectively ending our biannual clock changes by extending daylight saving time (DST) throughout the year nationwide.
 
Last year, on March 15, 2022, just days after clocks were adjusted to “spring forward” the U.S. Senate approved S.623, Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, which would make DST the new, permanent standard time, effective November 5, 2023. The bill did not pass the U.S. House of Representatives prior to the end of the 117th Congress. Reintroduction legislation is forthcoming in the new 118th Congress. 
 
To date, at least 29 states have introduced legislation to end clock changes. Since 2018, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 states have acted to provide for year-round DST. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, observe permanent standard time as allowed by current federal law.

Many believe DST 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 when President Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act of 1966.

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 U.S. economy over $400 million a year.

My resolution, urging U.S. Congress to adopt legislation to extend DST throughout the year across the country, was unanimously approved by the Senate State Government Committee during the past two Legislative Sessions (SR 179 in the 2019-20 Session; SR 36 in the 2021-22 Session; and previous cosponsors included: Sens. K. Ward, Pittman, Mastriano, Boscola, Phillips-Hill, Brewster.)

I hope you will consider joining me in co-sponsoring this resolution.


Introduced as SR65