‘The time has come’ to fix Daylight Saving, says state senator
Jan 16, 2019, 2:34 PM | Updated: 3:06 pm
(AP)
(AP)
A bill to keep the state of Washington in Daylight Saving Time year-round has officially been introduced in the state Legislature, and one of its sponsors stopped by the Jason Rantz Show to talk about the motivations behind the bill.
RELATED: Bill introduced to keep state in Daylight Saving Time year-round
“I believe the time has come,” State Sen. Jim Honeyford told KTTH’s Jason Rantz.
Honeyford went on to cite a handful of studies that note the variety of negative effects changing the clocks has on people across the country.
“The week after the time changes, there are more illnesses, heart attacks, traffic accidents, and students don’t do as well on tests,” he said. “There’s a human aspect that just doesn’t seem to work for us.”
A similar bill was shot down in Missouri recently, largely due to the negative effect it would have on business with the eight bordering states, which would essentially be in a separate time zone for half the year.
Washington doesn’t have quite that same issue, bordering just two states, one of which exists partly in a different time zone anyway.
Meanwhile, legislators from Washington have actually worked with Oregon to draft its own bill to stay in Daylight Saving Time as well. Directly south of Oregon, California voters already approved an identical measure last November.
If Sen. Honeyford’s bill passes, it would then be subject to Congressional approval. That approval would likely be contingent on the effect it would have on bordering states. If Oregon gets on board, it makes Washington’s case that much stronger.
The question for now: Can it pass?
RELATED: Follow California’s lead and stay in Daylight Saving Time
“I have bipartisan support on the sponsorship on this bill,” said Honeyford, referencing his two Democratic co-sponsors in Senators Sam Hunt and Kevin Van De Wege.
“I really believe we will pass the bill out of the Senate, and then we will have to work on the House,” he added.
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