The last bipartisan issue: Local politicians speak on daylight savings, standard time, and the yearly switch

Taking a stance on what some describe as “the last bipartisan issue,” President-elect Donald Trump posted on X Dec. 13 that the “Republican Party will use it’s best efforts to eliminate” daylight saving time.

While local politicians and experts differ in their interpretation of Trump’s statement, the prospect of not having to change the clocks twice a year is attractive to many. In 2019, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill that would allow for a permanent switch to daylight saving time, something which 19 states have moved to do.

While states can opt out of observing daylight saving time, an act of Congress is required to allow states to opt out of observing standard time.

In 2023, the Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time the federal standard, only for it to fall flat in the House.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in a statement that she plans to reintroduce the act to the new Congress, having co-sponsored the act since its introduction in 2021.

“I’ve been fighting for years to make (daylight saving time) permanent so that Americans can have more sunlight during their most productive hours, and we can stop senselessly changing our clocks back and forth twice a year,” Murray said in the statement, adding that she “will work with anyone to get permanent (daylight saving time) passed into federal law.”

Congressman-elect Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, interpreted Trump’s online post as support for switching to permanent daylight saving time. Noting that the decision has a more dramatic effect on Eastern Washington due to its location in the time zone, he said that standard time is “awful for kids’ sports” and general recreation due to the early darkness. He said that the prospect must be sound if he, Trump and Murray all back the idea.

Steve Calandrillo, a University of Washington law professor, argues that having daylight later in the day would save lives, decrease crime rates, save energy, help recreation, and avoid negative impacts to sleep schedules.

“Nobody likes messing up their circadian rhythms twice a year, but it’s important to realize that darkness kills, and darkness is twice as deadly in the evening as it is in the morning,” said Calandrillo, referencing the higher rates of vehicle collisions and pedestrian injuries during the evening rush. “So if you want to get rid of darkness at some time of day, you should get rid of evening darkness, not get rid of morning darkness.”

A growing body of research, however, suggests that standard time may align more naturally with humans’ circadian rhythms, said Dr. David Ramey, the medical director for the Sleep Center at Providence St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Medical Center in Spokane. Ramey said that being on daylight saving time can be particularly harmful for adolescents, as their natural tendency to stay up late is amplified by the evening sunlight. This may make it difficult for them to adjust to a “regular” schedule.

Furthermore, pointing to long-term night-shift workers as an extreme example, Ramey said that humans would likely not adjust their circadian rhythms to year round daylight saving as well as they might think.

“I don’t see it as a political issue,” Ramey said. “I see it as a public health issue.”

State Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, cited these health concerns in his belief that Washington should switch to year-round standard time, clarifying that either option would be better than continuing to switch twice a year. There would be no need for Congress involvement in a switch to standard time.

“Number one, I am for getting rid of switching,” Padden said. “Number two, I think the most practical way to do that is for the state to adopt the standard time. And I have now come to believe that – at least on the health issues – it is better.”

State Rep. Joe Schmick acknowledged the research done on how changing clocks can impact sleep. He said, however, that he believes the daylight extending into the evening would be beneficial for the health of people who are stuck inside all day. Schmick said that COVID-19 may have played a role in previous efforts to switch to permanent daylight saving time to “get lost in the shuffle.”

While the future of daylight saving versus standard time remains uncertain, Padden said that change may be more likely under the Trump administration.

“I was surprised the president(-elect) got involved,” Padden said. “Maybe something will happen with Congress.”