
People want to stop switching clocks, and the vast majority of people want more light in the evening with the daylight saving time year-round,” Harper said. Since he was first elected to the state Legislature in the late 1990s, “it’s been one of the hottest topics, most continually discussed topic. He recalled listening to arguments about time changes as a child. There’s a long, long history of this, of countries wanting to have more light in the evening, not just the United States but other countries,” Harper said. “This is an issue that has been debated for decades. The state senator said he believes Congress will likely move on the issue this year and that “one of the two (bills) will have a really good likelihood of passing.” Harper said he’s met with legislators from other Western states, and most are eager to make the change except for those in Arizona, where they wish to remain on standard time. Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, California and Washington have all passed bills to remain on daylight saving time, and New Mexico is considering the change - meaning the Beehive State just awaits approval from the federal government before putting its bill into action. That system, originally set up to save fuel during World War I and World War II, has been modified over the years by Washington politicians. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, that will make daylight saving time permanent should Congress and at least four Western states do so as well.Īlthough states can “ditch the switch” to stay on standard time throughout the year, as Arizona and Hawaii have done, they can’t move to a permanent daylight saving time schedule without action by Congress. In 2020, the Utah Legislature approved SB59, sponsored by Sen.


Meanwhile, the Sunshine Protection Act - sponsored for the third year in a row by Sen. Stewart is sponsoring the Daylight Act, would allow states to stay on daylight saving time permanently if they choose. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, said Wednesday in a statement provided to the Deseret News. It’s time the federal government let the states decide,” Rep. This is an unpopular, outdated practice that does nothing but confuse our schedules.

“Nobody wants to reset their clocks twice a year. Standard time could see its sunset in Utah and other Western states as a pair of bipartisan bills in Congress seek to let states make daylight saving time permanent, giving residents more evening sunlight year-round.
