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Pennsylvania senators push to end daylight saving time due to cost and health concerns

Some legislators in the Pennsylvania Senate are trying to put a stop to the practice of day light saving.

Daylight saving time was first enacted as a legal requirement by the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Motivated by transportation improvements and arguments about energy saving– according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Since then, studies by the National Bureau of Economic Research have shown the opposite. We spoke with PA state senator Cris Dush (R-25) about senate resolution 65 which aims to make daylight saving time permanent.

"Just the cost to the state and the local government for shifting the times, the overtime costs, twice a year that we incur simply because our law enforcement, corrections, municipalities that have fire and ambulance services," said Dush. "Where it’s a 24-hour day operation there’s a lot of overtime cost that’s incurred.”

Studies also show that changing our clocks is detrimental to our sleep, appetite, and mood.

“A lot of our people who are involved with emergency services and our protective services are working extended hours already and when you add another hour on top of that it can be impactful," said Dush.

Several of these bills received bipartisan support but states cannot act without congress enacting them on a federal level.

“We’ve got people, majorities on both sides that would like to see this happen and it’s across the country," said Dush. "So, let’s make it happen.”

The time change will happen this Sunday at 2 a.m.

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Martina Birk

Update: 2024-06-03