Texas Legislature Again Looking at Ending Daylight Saving Time [Opinion]
The Texas Legislature this session is again considering ending the twice-a-year clock changes in favor of staying on Standard Time year round.
House Bill #95, and Senate Bill #238 would allow the state to opt out of Daylight Saving time. That would allow us to stop the springing forward and falling back ritual we have been on and off since the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
Supporters of the two bills say the system is antiquated and unnecessary in this day and age. They point to statistics that show, heart attacks and traffic accidents increase in the days and weeks following the time change.
They also say besides the annoyance of changing the clocks, and the health and mental effects, it also forces thousands of Texas children to wait in the dark for school buses to pick them up every spring when we move the clocks forward an hour.
Some will argue that they like the extra hour of light in the evening, during the late spring and summer. However, I say, during the long hot days of summer around the south, why do we need another hour of daylight in the heat? I mean, even without Daylight Saving time it would stay light until almost 8PM. Who really needs it to stay light until 9PM?
There is no proof that being on Daylight Saving Time saves energy.
Supporters of the bills are encouraging Texas residents who want to end the clock changes and opt out of Daylight Saving Time to write or call your state representative and state senator and urge them to support HB #95, or SB #238.