The Pennsylvania House of Representatives thinks it’s time for a change.
The legislative body passed a bill Monday to do away with the semi-annual clock changing and make daylight saving time permanent. The move would take effect only if the U.S. Congress approved moving to daylight saving time all year long.
House Bill 335, which was introduced by Lehigh Valley-area State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, passed 103 to 98. State Rep. Frank Farry, a Republican from Langhorne Borough, voted for the bill, while State Rep. Tina Davis, a Democrat from Bristol Township, and State Rep. John Galloway, a Democrat from Falls Township, voted against it.
“Twice a year, Pennsylvanians are subject to adding unnecessary stress to our lives by changing our clocks between daylight saving time (DST) and standard time. The 1966 Uniform Time Act brought some order to the country’s clocks by creating a uniform standard of time and creating several time zones. The Act allows a state to become exempt from DST but does not allow permanent DST unless certain conditions are met,” Mackenzie said in a sponsorship memo to fellow legislators.
Studies have shown that keeping daylight saving time year-round would save energy, reduce the stress on people thrown off by the time change, and reduce traffic crashes and heart attacks linked to the time change.
Several states have pushed for doing away with time changes. CBS News reported in March a bipartisan group of U.S. senators were calling to rid the nation of time changes.
The bill passed in Harrisburg this week still needs approval from the state senate and the governor’s signature.
State Rep. Russ Diamond, a Republican from Lebanon County, has a separate bill to keep Pennsylvania on standard time.
See also:
PA Lawmaker Proposes Ending Daylight Saving Time
State Senator Calls For End To Daylight Savings Time
Pennsylvania House Bill Takes Aim at Private Election Grants
Group Of GOP Lawmakers Seek To Ban Pa.’S Transgender Student Athletes From Playing Women’s Sports
The Deciding Vote In Pa.’S High-Stakes Political Redistricting Could Be Yours, If Lawmakers Agree
