House Panel Advances Permanent DST Bill in 48-1 Vote as Sleep Experts Warn of Health Risks
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 27
House Panel Advances Permanent DST Bill in 48-1 Vote as Sleep Experts Warn of Health Risks
11 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 27
A House Energy and Commerce Committee vote of 48-1 advanced legislation on May 21 to make daylight saving time permanent, moving forward a bipartisan effort to end twice-yearly clock changes.
Sleep scientist Wendy Troxel said the science supports ending clock changes but favors permanent standard time, arguing year-round DST would misalign circadian rhythms by shifting morning light into the evening.
Troxel said that loss of winter morning sunlight could worsen sleep deprivation, raise crash risks and hit teenagers especially hard; in places like Utah, winter sunrises could slip to about 9 a.m.
The U.S. tried permanent DST in the early 1970s, she noted, but repealed it within a year after dark morning commutes, more morning crashes and little evidence of energy savings.
If science overwhelmingly supports Standard Time, why is permanent Daylight Saving Time the leading policy proposal?
Beyond convenience, what is the hidden health and economic price of an extra hour of evening sun?