The U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act on March 15th, 2022. The bipartisan bill, introduced by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), would establish daylight saving time as a permanent fixture, making it unnecessary to change clocks twice a year. The bill is currently awaiting House approval. 

The Sunshine Protection Act was first introduced by Senator Rubio in 2018 (died in committee), reintroduced the next year (died in committee), and again in 2021, when it passed with unanimous consent. There were reports from Buzzfeed News that many senators were not made aware of the bill beforehand, but Rubio’s office responded that they had sent requests to all senators’ offices (though it is common for staff to “vet requests” themselves before the senators see them if they consider the issue “too benign”).

 A study conducted by AP-NORC found that 32% support permanent DST, 43% permanent standard time, and 25% for the current system of switching between the two. 

Pros & Cons: 

There are certain benefits and drawbacks for making daylight saving time permanent.

According to the supporters of the bill, permanent daylight saving time will “enable children to play outdoors later and reduce seasonal depression”. Senator Rubio cited that permanent DST would help prevent pedestrian accidents, reduce crime, and decrease childhood obesity. There have been verified studies published that show “springing forward” as having less pedestrian accidents and a lower crime rate (due to the extra daylight), but the point regarding childhood obesity remains contentious. Childhood obesity is primarily linked with an unhealthy diet and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle (with the rise of technology), which means extra daylight wouldn’t necessarily lead to lower childhood obesity rates. 

There is also the obvious benefit of a longer “day”. In regards to school, it means extracurricular activities taking place under the Sun, and in a wider scheme, more people out for longer, spending more money. 

After the bill passed, various health experts have opposed it in favor of permanent standard time (a misnomer, as we actually spend around 8 months in DST) out of concern for adverse health effects. Parents of young children have also spoken against the bill, citing that they are not fans of waking their children up hours before the sun rises. 

According to Dr. Karin Johnson, a professor of neurology at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate and medical director of the Baystate Regional, clock changes that reduce sleep inherently increase the rates of stroke and heart attacks, as well as car accidents, so it makes sense that people are in support of ending clock change altogether. 

Dr. Johnson voices that the scientific and medical community believes that permanent standard time, due to its synchronicity with the Sun, would be better aligned with our internal clocks (circadian rhythm).  She says, “…studies have shown that even after switching to daylight saving time, our hormones stay with the sun… we end up living our social life by a clock time, when we go to work and school, but our body’s clock is on that sun’s times still. And so that leads to at least an hour of misalignment… There’s more sleep deprivation and poor quality sleep when you’re more misaligned.” 

Dr. Johnson also mentions that this misalignment has shown an increase in obesity (sleep deprivation induces the release of ghrelin, an appetite increasing hormone) and risk of cancer. 

Weddington Witness: 

When interviewed and given the background of potential pros and cons of the new bill, one junior said, “I think that keeping it as is is a better option, due to the fact that there are a good amount of health risks that come with it. The parents are correct regarding their concern for their kids waking up because (in my opinion), I can barely wake up when it is dark outside.” 

Meanwhile, when interviewed, senior Sophia Randazzo said, “I think it’s a good idea to get rid of it. It’s outdated and difficult to adjust to the time changes, especially as a student.”