Tag Archives: Pacific standard time

Western Legislative Coalition Announces Multi-State Effort for Standard Time

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho formed a working group to propose legislation in respective states to make the Pacific Standard Time permanent.

In Washington, Senate Bill 5795, introduced by Senator Mike Padden, received a public hearing on Tuesday in the Senate State Government and Elections Committee.

“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 of 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.”

Oregon state Senator Kim Thatcher of Keizer will introduce SB 1548 when Oregon’s legislative session starts on Feb. 4.

“Oregonians have long-expressed their desire to stop changing the clock,” said Thatcher. “Some prefer daylight saving time over standard time, and many don’t care which – they just want to stop changing the clock. Since daylight saving time is just not possible without congressional approval, and after waiting five years for Congress to approve a DST bill that passed here in Oregon in 2019, standard time has become a common-sense choice for 2024 and doesn’t need approval from Congress. Research also shows standard time is the healthier choice! I’m grateful to have the privilege of working with our surrounding states as they, too, introduce bills to ditch the switch!”

In California, Assemblyman Tri Ta of Westminster has introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1776 and is awaiting a committee hearing. “California voters are tired of disruptive time changes that have outlived their usefulness,” said Ta. “I am honored to join this multi-state coalition, and I know that this will make a difference to promote the health of the people of California and across the American West.”

The principal co-author of AB 1776, Senator Roger Niello of Fair Oaks, shared, “I am glad to be collaborating with representatives of multiple states to make standard time permanent.” He continued, “Different legislative processes and timelines can be challenging, but we are all working together to make Pacific Standard Time permanent so that our constituents can avoid the disruptive process of adjusting their clocks twice a year and adapting to the time change.”

“In Idaho our standard time bill has been drafted as RS30948 and will move to the House State Affairs Committee within the next 10 days, where we are confident of its passage,” said Idaho state Representative Joe Alfieri of Coeur d’Alene.

Here is the current list of representatives that are part of the working group to make the standard time permanent:

California

Senator Roger Niello

Assemblyman Tri Ta

Idaho

Representative Joe Alfieri

Oregon (Note: The Oregon Legislature begins its 2024 session on Feb. 4.)

Senator Kim Thatcher

Washington

Senator Mike Padden

 

Bipartisan bill to ‘ditch the switch’ in Washington receives Senate hearing

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.)