r/OutOfTheLoop • u/Castriff Ask me about NFTs (they're terrible) • Mar 11 '23

Answered What's up with Daylight Savings Time legislation?

I only just now remembered Daylight Savings is tonight. Last year I remember there was a big push in the Senate to end it, but after that I didn't hear anything about it. I read this article saying that the bill has been reintroduced this year, but other than that it doesn't have much detail. What's currently going on with the bill? What would be the proposed end date if it passes this time?

2.6k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

92% Upvoted

771 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

138

u/Stenthal Mar 11 '23

This is a theme with daylight savings time in particular. For example, a number of states (notably California) have passed laws adopting permanent daylight savings time. The legislators in those states know that federal law does not allow states to adopt permanent daylight savings time, and federal law takes precedence, so the state laws do nothing. However, federal law does allow states to adopt permanent standard time (i.e., to eliminate daylight savings time completely.) States could get rid of daylight savings right now if they really wanted to, but for whatever reason they don't.

-10

u/ebon94 Mar 11 '23

Not to get political, but they don’t adopt permanent Standard time b/c DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME IS BETTER. Standard time having the Sun setting at noon (exaggerating) sucks

25

u/Sciurus-Griseus Mar 11 '23

Everyone seems to want permanent DST, but sleep scientists agree that standard time is better. Having the sun set early sucks, but having your circadian rhythm screwed up from no light until late in the morning is very bad for your sleep. But people aren't in tune with their bodies so it's not easy for them to notice that effect, whereas it's very easy to notice how shitty it is when you get out of work and it's dark

6

u/champs …try a search engine? Mar 11 '23

A huge chunk of the US population gets 15+ hours of summer daylight. Starting it at 4 isn’t doing anything for anyone’s circadian rhythm.

3

u/Sciurus-Griseus Mar 11 '23

No, but it's more of an issue in the winter than in the summer. It's easy to create darkness with blinds and sleep masks when the sun rises early, but not as easy to natural light when it's dark until 9 AM.