Jacob Ogles
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan reminds his constituents to set their clocks — and hopes out loud it’s the last time.
Daylight Saving Time comes to a close for the year at 2 a.m. Sunday morning. Clocks will spring forward again in March, and that’s when Buchanan wants the hour hand to stop jumping around.
“Americans are tired of changing their clocks twice a year,” Buchanan said.
So in March, Buchanan filed the Sunshine Protection Act in the House. Sen. Marco Rubio put in a version of the bill in the Senate, setting up Florida as the champion for stop the time switch madness.
In 2018, the Florida Legislature approved legislation pushed by then-Sen. Greg Steube to make DST the time of the land.
In fact, Florida is one of seven states that want to make Daylight Saving permanent, according to AOL. The others are Alabama, Arkansas, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington.
But it will take an act of Congress to let them go permanently to DST. Notably, states can go to standard time year-round without federal approval. Steube now holds a seat in Congress and will push in Washington for the change.
The chief goal is to stop the skipping. A poll just released by the Associated Press finds 70 percent want to end the practice of changing their clocks. Americans are split on whether to go DST or standard, but there’s a wide consensus the spring forward-fall back cycle must end.
Buchanan thinks the Florida Legislature got it right seeking the extra hour of daylight that comes with DST.
“For the Sunshine State with tourism, I think that makes a big difference,” he said. To have that extra hour instead of having it get dark at 5:30, that’s huge.”
Buchanan likes cycling in Southwest Florida, but there’s an economic boom that comes with sunlight for beachfront shops and restaurants.
“Talk to any small business people,” he said. “Some say it could increase their business as much as 20 percent.”
Last year, President Donald Trump tweeted his support. That means lawmakers must simply get the act passed by both chambers of Congress.
Buchanan acknowledges it’s tough to get anything through that process, even when Washington, D.C. isn’t consumed by impeachment talks.
But now’s as good a time as any to make the case.
“This is the period when we try and get as much coverage as we can,” Buchanan said. “Everyone should contact their member of Congress or maybe even a local representative and make sure they are weighing in.”
4 comments
J Thomas
November 4, 2019 at 10:59 am
why keep daylight savings time?
People could be out an about after work, exercise is important for a out of shape nation
Auto accidents increase, heart attacks increase, changing time messes with everyone’s internal clock even animals that are used to being fed and walked at a certain time. I just love getting home after dark, “not”.
“Well, it is my hope that Sunday, November 3 will be the last time we have to do this ridiculous changing of the clocks back and forth,” said Rubio. “It makes absolutely no sense, there’s no justification for it. It has strong support in the House and in the Senate, the White House, the president said he would sign it. I hope we can get this bill passed because I just think it makes all the sense in the world, and this changing of the clocks back and forth makes no sense at all.”
Jan
November 4, 2019 at 6:47 pm
Staying on DST makes it inherently unsafe for students who have to stand on bus stops or walk to school in the dark, and who do not have the luxury of parents driving them.
Lonnie thomas
November 5, 2019 at 7:33 pm
I’m with you on this, hopefully they will leave it alone. I’m up early regardless of the time, and I still get most everything accomplished..😁
leira
November 6, 2019 at 6:50 am
End the fucking time change! Maybe school needs to start 30 minutes later, but as a kid I stood outside in the dark for 5 minutes and was fine, no one ever got hurt. Parents could put freaking little warning lights or signs near bus stops. Time change is more dangerous for everyone’s health, it’s awful. What’s not fun is my babies screaming at 4am and being confused as hell because of the change. I will vote for whoever ends the time change. I prefer DST, not standard, but just pick one and stick with it. DST would allow people to exercise more after work, people would be happier. END IT OR WE ROVOLT!!!!!!! Mom’s are getting fed up with this crap!!!!!! MOTHERS WILL CHANGE THE WORLD, DO IT CONGRESS OR WE WILL!!!!!! ROAARRRRR! The government never does anything productive, if they do this the populace may stop talking about civil war. It will bring peace! Do it!
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