Scott, Rubio introduce bill to keep US on Daylight Saving Time through Nov. ’21

Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio introduced legislation Wednesday that would keep the U.S. on Daylight Saving Time through Nov. 7, 2021, because of the pandemic.

The senators say the bill would “help provide stability for families who are already dealing with enough change with virtual learning, work from home, and other disruptions the COVID-19 pandemic has placed into our daily lives.”

“After months of staying inside amid the coronavirus pandemic, families across the nation could use a little more sunshine and time to enjoy all that Florida has to offer,” Scott said. “I signed legislation as governor to continue Daylight Saving Time year-round for Floridians, and I’m glad to join Senator Rubio to lead this effort in Congress.”

If the bill is enacted, Americans would avoid changing clocks in March 2021 when the U.S. typically springs forward an hour.

“Our government has asked a lot of the American people over the past seven months, and keeping the nation on Daylight Saving Time is just one small step we can take to help ease the burden,” Rubio said. “More daylight in the after school hours is critical to helping families and children endure this challenging school year. Studies have shown many benefits of a year-round Daylight Saving Time, and while I believe we should make it permanent all year around, I urge my colleagues to — at the very least — work with me to avoid changing the clocks this fall.”

Rubio said he will “Rule 14” the bill, which means the bill will bypass the Senate Committee on Commerce and be placed directly on the Senate Calendar.

A press release from Rubio’s office stated the following “potential effects of making Daylight Saving Time permanent for the nation”:

· Reduces car crashes and car accidents involving pedestrians: better aligning daylight hours to drivers’ standard work hours increases visibility, according to the American Journal of Public Health and the Journal of Safety Research. Also reduces the number of vehicle collisions with wildlife by 8 – 11 percent by shifting normal traffic patterns to an hour off from nocturnal wildlife’s behavior.

· Reduces risk for cardiac issues, stroke and seasonal depression.

· Reduces the number of robberies by 27 percent, according to a 2015 Brookings Institution because of additional daylight in the evenings.

· Benefits the economy, according to a study by JP Morgan Chase, which found that there is a drop in economic activity of 2.2 percent – 4.9 percent when clocks move back.

· Reduces childhood obesity and increases physical fitness, according to studies published by the International Journal Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, children see an increase in physical activity during DST. The Journal of Environmental Psychology found that DST increased pedestrian activity by 62% and cyclists activity by 38% because of additional daylight.

· Benefits the agricultural economy, which is disproportionately disrupted by biannual changes in time by upsetting the synergy between farmers’ schedules and their supply chain partners.

· Reduces energy usage, a 2008 study by the U.S. Department of Energy found that during the 4 weeks the U.S. extended daylight savings from the 2005 law, there were savings of about 0.5 percent in electricity per day. Later studies have also shown that the energy savings are minimal but small savings do occur.