If you are like us, changing all our clocks twice a year is a hassle. It’s not all that difficult, but it seems to be an unnecessary hassle. “Springing forward” and “falling back” have become a twice a year ritual in everyone’s business and household, not to mention vehicles. Cell phones seem to adjust automatically to the time changes.
All this could change if the Legislature takes a good look at Senate Bill 60 which has been proposed by state Sen. Betty Olson, R-Prairie City. Olson says changing clocks twice a year is a real waste of time, and we agree.
The history of daylight savings time (DST) can be traced all the way back to Benjamin Franklin who first proposed it. In European countries it is often referred to as “Summer Time.” It has been used in this country and many European countries since World War I. The idea was to conserve fuel needed for the production of electric power.
The daylight savings time plan was formally adopted in the United States on March 19, 1918. This law set up standard time zones and set DST to begin on March 31, 1918. It was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. After the war, the law was repealed and DST became a local option, continuing in some states and large cities.
Pres. Franklin Roosevelt instituted year round DST during World War II, calling it “War Time,” from Feb. 9, 1942, until Sept. 30, 1945. Until 1966 there was no federal law regarding DST, so it was up to states and cities to decide if they wanted it and when it would begin and when it would end. Imagine the confusion that must have caused! In 1966, to alleviate some of this confusion, the Uniform Time Act was signed into law by Pres. Lyndon Johnson whereby DST was to begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October. Any state wanting to be exempt from DST could pass a state law.
In 1967, Arizona and Michigan became the first states to vote to exempt themselves from DST, with Michigan reversing this decision in 1972. Currently, only Arizona, Hawaii and some of our territories do not observe DST. Logically, it would seem South Dakota would follow in the footsteps of Arizona and Hawaii, but Olson is a rancher and probably values that additional daylight in the summer months.
We don’t know why this has not been an issue at the national level, but can just surmise that people have just gotten so used to the twice a year time change that they don’t give it a second thought.
We hope Olson’s bill can find its way out of committee and to the senate floor for debate, instead of just being killed in committee. It deserves some discussion. Whether you favor standard time or daylight savings time, it is time to make it the same year round once again.
All this could change if the Legislature takes a good look at Senate Bill 60 which has been proposed by state Sen. Betty Olson, R-Prairie City. Olson says changing clocks twice a year is a real waste of time, and we agree.
The history of daylight savings time (DST) can be traced all the way back to Benjamin Franklin who first proposed it. In European countries it is often referred to as “Summer Time.” It has been used in this country and many European countries since World War I. The idea was to conserve fuel needed for the production of electric power.
The daylight savings time plan was formally adopted in the United States on March 19, 1918. This law set up standard time zones and set DST to begin on March 31, 1918. It was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. After the war, the law was repealed and DST became a local option, continuing in some states and large cities.
Pres. Franklin Roosevelt instituted year round DST during World War II, calling it “War Time,” from Feb. 9, 1942, until Sept. 30, 1945. Until 1966 there was no federal law regarding DST, so it was up to states and cities to decide if they wanted it and when it would begin and when it would end. Imagine the confusion that must have caused! In 1966, to alleviate some of this confusion, the Uniform Time Act was signed into law by Pres. Lyndon Johnson whereby DST was to begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October. Any state wanting to be exempt from DST could pass a state law.
In 1967, Arizona and Michigan became the first states to vote to exempt themselves from DST, with Michigan reversing this decision in 1972. Currently, only Arizona, Hawaii and some of our territories do not observe DST. Logically, it would seem South Dakota would follow in the footsteps of Arizona and Hawaii, but Olson is a rancher and probably values that additional daylight in the summer months.
We don’t know why this has not been an issue at the national level, but can just surmise that people have just gotten so used to the twice a year time change that they don’t give it a second thought.
We hope Olson’s bill can find its way out of committee and to the senate floor for debate, instead of just being killed in committee. It deserves some discussion. Whether you favor standard time or daylight savings time, it is time to make it the same year round once again.