Time To Stop 'Falling Back' For Daylight Savings? Ohio Lawmakers Support It

Ohio lawmakers voted in favor of a resolution that backs the Sunshine Protection Act on Thursday (December 3).

Like many others, some elected officials are apparently tired of watching sunsets before 5 p.m. in winter and losing an hour of sleep in spring.

The legislation would nix changing the clocks in the fall for daylight savings time and stick to the time from March through October, after we’ve “sprung forward,” according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The favorable Ohio House vote (61-32) follows the Senate’s vote (31-1) in February. Gov. Mike DeWine doesn’t have to sign it, the Enquirer reported.

It’s not the first time Ohio lawmakers have considered doing away with daylight savings time. Last year, some state senators introduced Senate Bill 119, the Ohio Sunshine Protection Act. It was sponsored by Kristina Roegner and Bob Peterson.

Facebook friends largely sparked the idea of sponsoring the bill for Roegner, cleveland.com reported in March 2019.

The Sunshine Protection Act has long been advocated for in Florida, including by Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, as well as Rep. Vern Buchanan.

“There are enormous health and economic benefits to making daylight saving time permanent,” Buchanan previously said. “Florida lawmakers have already voted to make daylight saving time permanent in my home state and Congress should pass the Sunshine Protection Act to move Florida and the rest of the country to year-round daylight saving time.”

So, Ohio isn’t alone in its support of ditching daylight savings time, which was introduced during the World Wars.

Here are the other states that have approved similar resolutions:

• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• Utah
• Tennessee
• Washington
• Wyoming

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