The Oklahoma Senate has made a decision to permanently adopt daylight savings time all year round, while a bill in the House is proposing to stick with standard time. This comes just a day after some Americans lost an hour of sleep due to the time change.
Senator Blake Stephens, a Republican from Tahlequah, expressed on Monday that the backing of the American Farmers and Ranchers is behind Senate Bill 1200.
Representative Stephens expressed his dedication to the cause, stating that he has been tirelessly working on legislation for the past four years to implement a permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST). He emphasized that the advantages of this measure have been widely recognized, and many members of the chamber are well-informed about its tremendous benefits.
Senator Carri Hicks, a representative from Oklahoma City, expressed her inability to support the bill, citing opposition from the American Medical Association (AMA). This stance is corroborated by a recent statement published on the AMA’s official website.
Dr. Alexander Ding expressed his support for the elimination of time changes in March and November, stating that it would be a welcome change. However, he also pointed out that research indicates potential health risks associated with permanent daylight saving time. To avoid these risks, Dr. Ding suggests establishing permanent standard time instead.
Representative Kevin West, a Republican from Moore, has put forward House Bill 2217, which gives voters the opportunity to determine whether standard time should be made permanent.
According to West, he has received feedback from many constituents, parents, and business owners during his time in the legislature, indicating a widespread desire to end the biannual time change. To address this concern, West proposes a solution of adopting permanent standard time. He emphasizes the need for legislative support in order to put this matter to a vote and ultimately meet the public’s demand.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a total of nineteen state legislatures have given their approval to adopt daylight savings time throughout the year. In the year 2018, California voters also agreed to the implementation of permanent daylight savings time.
However, the bills mentioned above do not hold any significance because federal law prohibits states from permanently observing daylight savings time. Currently, only Arizona and Hawaii have chosen not to observe it and have opted to remain on standard time.
Stephens believes that once the number of states reaches 26, it will serve as a powerful signal to Congress to take action on the Sunshine Protection Act. This would lead to the legislation being passed and ultimately allow for the end of the practice of changing clocks, which Stephens believes is logical and necessary.
According to congressional records, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was passed by the U.S. Senate in 2022. In 2023, Rubio introduced another version of the act. Additionally, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., has introduced a House version of the act, which is currently assigned to an Energy and Commerce subcommittee.
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