A Senate committee today took public testimony on 4th District Sen. Mike Padden’s bipartisan bill that would allow the people of Washington to “ditch the switch” from standard time to daylight saving time each year.
“If there is one issue most people agree on, it’s the dislike of moving their clocks from standard time to daylight saving time in the spring and then back to standard time in the fall,” said Padden, R-Spokane Valley. “There have been scientific studies connecting several health problems with switching back and forth between standard time and daylight saving time, including greater risks of heart attacks and more frequent workplace injuries. This bill would allow Washington to finally ‘ditch the switch’ by keeping us on standard time permanently.”
A proposed substitute version of Senate Bill 5795 came before the Senate State Government and Elections Committee. TVW’s coverage of the SB 5795 hearing may be viewed here and here.
If the bill becomes law, the change would go into effect on Nov. 4, one day after daylight saving time ends on Nov. 3.
The measure’s lead co-sponsor is 45th District Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond.
“In 2019, we passed bipartisan legislation to move our state to permanent daylight saving time,” said Dhingra. “That change requires congressional approval, but Congress has not acted. That’s why I support this bill that will put our state on permanent standard time. I have heard from constituents that they overall prefer to stay on permanent daylight saving time, so this bill includes a trigger, so that if Congress does act and allows states to choose permanent daylight saving time, our state will automatically switch once and for all.
“Research shows that the transition between standard time and daylight saving time and back again causes a range of negative health effects, including worse stress, an increased number of car and workplace accidents, and even greater rates of suicide. Those serious detrimental effects on Washingtonians’ health are why it’s so important that we do away with springing forward and falling back,” added Dhingra.
Padden is partnering with Oregon state Sen. Kim Thatcher and California state Sen. Roger Niello to propose bills that would keep the three West Coast states on year-round standard time. The Oregon Legislature begins its 2024 session on Feb. 5. The California Legislature reconvened Jan. 3.
“Switching back and forth between daylight time and standard time confuses and annoys many people, and it causes health problems for some. That’s why Senator Thatcher and I are working together to see if our respective legislatures can keep our clocks on standard time year-round,” added Padden.
Padden said he, Thatcher and Niello have talked with legislators in Idaho and Nevada to see if they will introduce similar bills in those states.
“It is encouraging that these legislators in California, Idaho and Nevada plan to introduce bills this year to move their states to year-round standard time,” said Padden.
Arizona and Hawaii currently are the only states on permanent standard time. Because Congress has already decided states may be on permanent standard time if they choose, Oregon and Washington and other states would not need the federal government to pass a bill authorizing states to be on year-round standard time.
(Sen. Padden’s head photo can be found here. Sen. Dhingra’s head photo can be found here.)
