NewsLocal News

Actions

State lawmakers file bills to kill daylight saving time

Posted at 3:15 PM, Feb 27, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-27 16:19:00-05

Admit it. Certain times of the year are very depressing if you leave for work or school before the sun rises and leave for the day after it has set.

The Texas Tribune reports that state lawmakers have filed bills that would abolish daylight saving time in the state, arguing it’s as antiquated as a horse and buggy.

But other supporters maintain that daylight saving time gives Texans an important extra hour of daylight in the evenings during summer months.

Texans as Americans in most states look forward to that period between March and November when daylight saving time is in place. During that “spring forward” period, 7 p.m. feels like 6 p.m. It effectively provides an extra hour of sun in the evening.

But state lawmakers already have filed bills in the House and Senate that would end daylight saving time as we know it. Instead, the state, like in Hawaii and Arizona would have a standard time year-round.

Two San Antonio-area lawmakers are leading the charge to abolish daylight saving time.

State Sen. Jose Menéndez, D-San Antonio, told the Tribune that daylight saving time doesn’t mesh with today’s society and norms. He has carried a bill to exempt Texas from daylight saving time in the senate in every legislature since 2015.

“Any time you propose some sort of change, you’re going to get some pushback — people don’t like change, and I get that,” Menéndez said. “But I don’t have a problem with trying to pass something that I think makes sense, and once it does pass, people will forget about the fact that they don’t have to worry about that day or that time when they had to move their clocks forward or back.”

And State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, also agrees a change needs to be made.

“My deal is, I just think it’s almost primitive that we switch our clocks back and forth,” Larson said. “It’s inconsistent with logic.”

The bills have been filed.

What do you think? Would you prefer one uniform time all year long, or do you like the switching back and forth?

Is this something that state government should mandate?

Or, should the legislature stick to other items that might have more importance to Texas residents?