Daylight Saving Time: Law Or Not?

The Sunshine Protection Act, a bill to make daylight saving time permanent in the US, was passed by the Senate in March 2022 and reintroduced in March 2023, but it has not been passed by the House of Representatives. The bill would need to be signed by the President to become law. The Act would allow states to opt out and remain on standard time, as is currently the case for Arizona, Hawaii, and all permanently inhabited US territories.

The Uniform Time Act of 1966

Prior to the Uniform Time Act, each state had its own scheme for when DST would begin and end, and even which parts of the state should use it. The Act required states that observe DST to begin it at 2 a.m. local time on the last Sunday in April and to end it at 2 a.m. local time on the last Sunday in October. It also explicitly preempted all state laws related to daylight saving time.

The Act has been amended several times. In 1972, it was amended to allow states with more than one time zone to exempt just one time zone from DST, in addition to exempting the whole state. In 1986, the uniform start date for DST was moved to the first Sunday in April. The latest amendment, as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, extended DST by four or five weeks, with the start date moving to the second Sunday in March and the end date to the first Sunday in November.

The Uniform Time Act does not require all states to observe DST. Individual states may exempt themselves from DST and observe standard time year-round by passing a state law. However, states do not have the authority to choose to be on permanent DST. Arizona, with the exception of the Navajo Nation, Hawaii, and all permanently inhabited territories observe permanent standard time.

The Sunshine Protection Act

However, the bill has also faced opposition, with some experts arguing that permanent daylight saving time could negatively impact health and human welfare. They suggest that permanent standard time is more beneficial as it aligns with the body's natural circadian rhythm. Opponents also raise concerns about children's safety, as darker mornings could make waiting for school buses and walking to school more dangerous.

While the Sunshine Protection Act has sparked debate about the potential benefits and drawbacks of permanent daylight saving time, it is clear that many Americans favor eliminating the semi-annual clock changes.

The Daylight Saving Time Act of 1974

In response to the 1973 oil crisis, President Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act (Pub. L. 93–182) into law on December 15, 1973, making Daylight Saving Time (DST) effective across the United States on a year-round basis for a two-year trial period. This legislation, also known as the Daylight Saving Time Act of 1974, was intended to address energy conservation concerns during a challenging period of energy crisis.

The Act stipulated that the trial period would commence on January 6, 1974, and conclude on April 7, 1975. However, the experiment was cut short, and the standard time was restored on October 27, 1974, before the intended end date. This early termination was prompted by concerns about darkness during winter mornings, which posed safety risks, particularly for children travelling to school.

The year-round DST policy faced a mixed reception from the public. Initially, it garnered support from 79% of Americans, but this approval rating dropped significantly to 42% by the first winter under the new time arrangement. The public's dissatisfaction was reflected in the efforts of some states to defy or circumvent the federal mandate. For instance, the mayor of St. Francis, Kansas, Robert Yost, declared that his town's council intended to "put [their] foot down and stop this monkey business."

Despite the intentions to conserve energy, the outcomes of the DST experiment were inconclusive. While a letter from Roger Sant, an assistant administrator-designate for the Federal Energy Administration, asserted that DST resulted in a 1% energy saving, equivalent to 20,000-30,000 tons of coal daily, critics pointed to the adverse effects on public safety, especially for children. There were reports of increased fatalities and accidents during the morning darkness, underscoring the complexities of altering established time patterns.

Ultimately, the Daylight Saving Time Act of 1974 proved to be short-lived, and the nation reverted to the previous time observation practices. The reversal of the policy highlighted the challenges of implementing permanent DST and the importance of considering the potential impacts on various aspects of daily life, including health, safety, and economic activities.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005

• Energy efficiency: The Act sets forth an energy research and development program with a focus on energy efficiency, including improved energy conservation and management in federal buildings.
• Renewable energy: The Act provides incentives for renewable energy production, such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy. It also adds ocean energy sources, including wave and tidal power, as separately identified renewable technologies.
• Oil and gas: The Act extends the authority of the Secretary of Energy to operate the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and provides incentives for oil and gas production, including exempting oil and gas producers from certain requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Coal: The Act seeks to increase coal as an energy source while reducing air pollution. It provides funding for clean coal initiatives, repeals the cap on coal leases, and requires an assessment of coal resources on federal lands.
• Tribal energy: The Act establishes the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs to promote Indian energy activities and tribal energy resource development through grants and loans.
• Nuclear matters and security: The Act extends the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act through 2025 and provides various incentives for nuclear power, including loan guarantees, production tax credits, and cost-overrun support for new nuclear power plants.
• Vehicles and motor fuels: The Act includes provisions for alternative fuel vehicles and fuels, such as hybrid vehicles and biofuels. It also sets federal reliability standards for the electrical grid.
• Hydrogen: The Act directs the Secretary of Energy to conduct research and development programs on hydrogen energy and fuel cells.
• Electricity: The Act establishes federal reliability standards for the electrical grid and gives the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction over the Electric Reliability Organization and regional entities.
• Energy tax incentives: The Act provides various tax incentives for energy production and conservation, including tax credits for renewable energy facilities, clean renewable energy bonds, and energy-efficient commercial buildings.
• Climate change technology: The Act establishes a Committee on Climate Change Technology to coordinate federal climate change technology activities and develop a national strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Act also includes a variety of other provisions, such as repealing the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 and extending daylight saving time by four to five weeks.

The benefits of permanent standard time

The debate around daylight savings time and standard time has been a long-standing one, with proponents of both systems advocating for their chosen side. However, permanent standard time has emerged as the preferred option for many health and sleep experts. Here are some of the benefits of adopting permanent standard time:

Health Benefits:

• Improved Sleep: Standard time promotes alignment with our body's natural circadian rhythms, which are governed by sunlight. This alignment ensures we get better quality sleep, which is crucial for overall health and well-being.
• Reduced Health Risks: Standard time helps lower health risks such as heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, obesity, depression, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. This is due to the alignment with our body's natural rhythms, reducing the negative impacts of circadian misalignment.
• Lower Traffic Fatalities: With improved sleep and reduced health risks, permanent standard time can lead to fewer traffic accidents and fatalities.
• Improved Mental Health: Standard time can help reduce the risk of mood disorders and seasonal depression, especially during winter months when days are shorter.
• Better for Teenagers: Permanent standard time supports the biological needs of teenagers, who are more sensitive to evening light and have a naturally later-shifted circadian rhythm.
• Reduced Risk of Cancer: Standard time reduces the risk of various types of cancer, including liver, breast, prostate, colorectal, lung, and uterine cancer. This is due to the body's alignment with the natural light-dark cycle, which influences the release of hormones that slow down the growth of cancer.

Practical Benefits:

• Energy Savings: Permanent standard time can lead to reduced energy consumption, particularly from air conditioning. This was one of the reasons Arizona chose to adopt permanent standard time.
• Productivity and Economic Benefits: With improved sleep and health, permanent standard time can lead to increased productivity, better cognitive function, improved decision-making, and reduced absenteeism. These factors can contribute to significant economic benefits for individuals and the country.
• Consistency: Adopting permanent standard time eliminates the need for biannual clock changes, providing consistency in schedules and reducing the disruption caused by time shifts.
• Safety for Students: Permanent standard time supports the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which suggests that high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. standard time. This helps improve student academic performance and reduces the risk of motor vehicle crashes.

Frequently asked questions