Missourians & Daylight Saving Time: The Reason Why Is Simplified

Well, as you probably know, it's getting to be that time again. You're probably going to have to check a couple times as to when you're supposed to be changing your clocks.

And I'm sure you're wondering about that, so here's the deets right from the start: Daylight Saving Time starts next Sunday, March 9th. You'll lose an hour of sleep that night, but it won't get dark so early anymore. Then March 20th is the first day of spring.

via GIPHY

But as you're going around the house and moving all the numbers around (don't forget the one on the microwave, you always forget the one on the microwave), you might be wondering WHY we're still doing this year after year.

Well, I'm no expert, but I've done some research and tried to figure out why.

Now of course, we started this whole thing to help farmers and people in agriculture, and back in the day, it was certainly essential.  But now, with technology and farm equipment... is it really necessary to keep doing this? There are some holdouts. Some of it is economic, I'll let an expert explain that part. The short answer is, no.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Missouri has never tried to bring a bill up about this. In fact, twenty states have tried, but they can't do anything permanently without congress.

The 20 states are Oklahoma (2024); Colorado and Kentucky (resolution) (2022); Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi and Montana (2021); Idaho, Louisiana, Ohio (resolution); South Carolina, Utah and Wyoming (2020); Delaware, Maine, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington (2019); Florida (2018; California voters also authorized such a change that year, but legislative action is pending so it is not counted). Some states have commissioned studies on the topic including Massachusetts (2017) and Maine (2021).

 

So what's the hold up?

Basically, states can request that Congress makes a law to change things, but Congress can't decide what to do.  Mostly, legislators from Florida have been spearheading this, and while it got close in 2022*,  the bill tends to die in committee.

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Right now, the latest version of the Sunshine Protection Act is in committee in the Senate and the House of Representatives.   The big debate in the committees isn't about whether or not we should end this, but what we should choose.   Basically, it's "do we end daylight saving time, or do we make it permanent?"   The debate isn't about stopping us changing the clock twice a year - it's about standard time versus daylight saving time.  Everyone agrees we should stop changing the clocks, but do we keep the hour or do we not?

So, back into the debates it goes. We'll have to see if the 119th Congress can do anything about it.  But for right now, nothing's changing.

What do you think?  Do you think we should keep Daylight Saving, or Standard?

Just don't forget the one on the microwave.

Savingly yours,
Behka

*It's a little debatable that it go close, honestly.  It was passed by unanimous consent, which is not the same as unanimous approval.  It does not mean everyone voted for it, just that the bill was brought up, and that no one present objected to the proposal.