It’s time to make daylight saving time permanent, two Kentucky lawmakers contend

Tired of “springing forward” an hour each spring and “falling backward” an hour each autumn? So are two Kentucky lawmakers who want to make daylight saving time permanent in Kentucky.

Republican Reps. Bart Rowland of Tompkinsville and Brandon Reed of Hodgenville have prefiled a bill for consideration in the 2020 General Assembly that would make daylight saving time permanent throughout the state, but only if the U.S Congress first passes a federal law allowing states to observe the time year-round.

Daylight saving time is the practice of advancing clocks so that evening daylight lasts longer in the summer, while sacrificing normal sunrise time. The United States adopted daylight saving in 1918, and it was widely adopted in America from the 1970s as a result of the 1970s’ energy crisis.

Although 26 states have considered making daylight saving permanent, unless Congress changes federal law, states cannot implement permanent daylight saving. They can only opt out of daylight saving and maintain standard time year round. Florida was the first state to try to make daylight saving permanent in 2018 and Tennessee recently enacted a bill to do so.

A criticism of daylight saving is that it produces an additional hour of darkness in the morning hours. Many parents, especially in the winter, worry about their children’s safety while waiting for a school bus in the dark.

Kentuckians will reap immediate benefits by putting an end to the practice of changing clocks every March and November and giving people more evening daylight hours during winter months, the two legislators said Monday in a news release.

“Studies show that adding more light at the end of the day improves everything from traffic safety to crime and the use of electricity,” said Rowland. “I think it’s time for Kentucky to join the conversation on whether or not we’re willing to do away with the antiquated practice of changing clocks.”

He noted that research from the Brookings Institute shows there is a 19 percent drop in the probability of any robbery occurring in the weeks after daylight saving time begins and a 27 percent decrease in the robbery rate during sunset hours.

The research also showed an increased rate of heart attacks following time changes. Data collected over three years from hospitals in Michigan found that on the Monday immediately after daylight saving time began there was an average of 25 percent more heart attacks.

Most of Rowland’s district lies in the Central Time Zone. Reed’s district is in the Eastern Time Zone.

Reed said he has discussed the issue at length with his constituents and that Kentucky’s action will pressure Congress to accept the change.

U. S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, has introduced bipartisan legislation in Congress to make the time permenant and President Trump has endorsed the idea.