Perc-Pective
By Ethan Percival
By Ethan Percival
I think we can all agree that daylight savings time isn’t very popular in our country. Fewer than 40 percent of countries worldwide still implement daylight savings time switches, and both Arizona and Hawaii already have decided to end the practice.
Daylight savings time was originally implemented in the United States in 1918, modeled after European laws at the time, as a way to save energy during World War I.
A lot of us personally observed the fatigue that accompanied the switch to daylight savings time earlier this month, but research has shown that the biannual switches between standard and daylight savings time are also linked to increased heart attacks, strokes, traffic accidents and upticks in seasonal affective disorder and crime rates.
Senate Bill 623, or the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, is a proposed federal law that would make daylight savings time permanent nationwide starting next year, which would put a stop on changing our clocks twice a year. It passed the Senate unanimously on March 15, and now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. The Sunshine Protect Act has been considered in Congress twice before, in 2018 and 2019, but died in committee both times. This is the first time that the act was approved by a house of Congress, let alone unanimous.
Getting this bill enacted would be a great help in our lives, besides just from a convenience standpoint. Although it would be especially nice to not have to change our clocks anymore, the Sunshine Protection Act would also provide us with a lot of other benefits if it were to be passed.
Daylight savings time was originally implemented in the United States in 1918, modeled after European laws at the time, as a way to save energy during World War I.
A lot of us personally observed the fatigue that accompanied the switch to daylight savings time earlier this month, but research has shown that the biannual switches between standard and daylight savings time are also linked to increased heart attacks, strokes, traffic accidents and upticks in seasonal affective disorder and crime rates.
Senate Bill 623, or the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, is a proposed federal law that would make daylight savings time permanent nationwide starting next year, which would put a stop on changing our clocks twice a year. It passed the Senate unanimously on March 15, and now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. The Sunshine Protect Act has been considered in Congress twice before, in 2018 and 2019, but died in committee both times. This is the first time that the act was approved by a house of Congress, let alone unanimous.
Getting this bill enacted would be a great help in our lives, besides just from a convenience standpoint. Although it would be especially nice to not have to change our clocks anymore, the Sunshine Protection Act would also provide us with a lot of other benefits if it were to be passed.