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It’s Time to Relegate Time Changes to the Dust Bin of History
Bottom Line: Congress isn’t a place where you find much common ground these days, or that is especially functional for that matter. That reality made Tuesday’s vote in the United States Senate on Marco Rubio’s Sunshine Protection Act, that much more effectual. After Governor Rick Scott, signed Florida’s Sunshine Protection Act into law in 2017, Senator Marco Rubio began the effort to have the federal Government respect Florida’s wishes to permanently remain in DST. Every year starting in 2018, Senator Rubio pushed the Sunshine Protection Act in the United States Senate. Each year it went nowhere. Not even being brought to a vote. This year was different and on Tuesday the United States Senate took up Rubio’s Act, co-sponsored by now Senator Rick Scott and it passed unanimously. The first of three key steps to ending time changes in Florida once and for all. As we wait for the United States House to take up the legislation, here’s the history of DST and yet another reminder of why its time to relegate time change to the dust bin of history.
The first observed DST was April 30th, 1916, by Germany and Austria. The cited reason was to conserve energy during World War I. Two years later the United States took it up as well. The first DST in the United States took place on March 31st, 1918, also as an effort to conserve energy during the war. After the first World War it was repealed in the United States and didn’t show up again until the 2nd World War. FDR brought it back in 1942 calling it “War Time” and kept it through 1945.
The current incarnation of DST was signed into law in 1974 as part of the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act. Clearly the premise was that it would save energy. But the question is if it really works, especially in today’s society? Here’s the answer.
In 2017, the most comprehensive study of the energy savings related to time changes took place. The study utilized data from 44 individual studies and found the average energy savings was...drum roll...0.3%. What’s more is that as we continue to become more energy efficient that number continues to drop. Contrast that with the negative economic impact of the time change, which using JP Morgan data and calculating the impact based on Florida’s current economy, suggests we lose between $12 to $26 billion annually due to the change. In other words, if the argument is an energy/economic argument, it’s now firmly against exiting Daylight Saving Time and will only continue to grow over time. Heck, there’s even a health component to it. In the first two days after entering Daylight Saving Time stroke and heart attack risks rise by 10%.
If you’d like an end to time changes, it’s finally possible. Contact your House representative and let them know it’s time to pass the Sunshine Protection Act and end time changes. With the action in Florida and the United States Senate we’re finally halfway there. We never have to experience another time change again in Florida. We just need the House to vote for it.