Committee approves permanent spring forward for daylight saving time

People tired of the annual jumps to and from daylight saving time may be able to rest easy.

If a bipartisan group of lawmakers have their way, one day in the not-too-distant future when the state joins much of the country in the spring forward to daylight saving time, that’s where Minnesota’s clocks would remain, never to fall back again.  

Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden Valley) sponsors HF1397, which would make daylight saving time the permanent, year-round time in Minnesota. The House Government Operations Committee approved the bill Tuesday, the 101st anniversary of daylight saving time, and referred it to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Rep. Mike Freiberg

Federal law currently sets the date when the clocks change and allows states the option of remaining on standard time year-round – currently only Hawaii and Arizona do so – but not the option to stay on daylight saving time all year long.

However, in 2018 Florida became the first state to vote to do so and bills are now moving through Congress seeking federal approval for that change. Minnesota would also eventually need federal approval, but getting it may not be as unlikely as it may first seem.

Freiberg said that in addition to the bipartisan support for his bill, which includes several Republicans and House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) as co-sponsors, advocates of year-round daylight saving time at the national level include Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump.

Rep. Sandy Layman (R-Cohasset), a co-sponsor of HF1397, said she never expected to be contacted by constituents asking her to do something about the issue, but that’s what has been happening.

“I had people contacting me saying, ‘Could you do something about changing the clocks, we’re really tired of doing this,’” Layman said. She co-sponsored a bill last year with Freiberg that would have kept standard time permanent, but they received pushback on that proposal and rethought how a permanent change should be made.

“We’re on daylight saving time for eight months out of the year,” Layman said. “You think about that time in October when it starts to get dark at about 5:30 (p.m.), and then you push the clock back to 4:30 (p.m.), it seems a little crazy and then you start asking yourself, ‘Why are we doing this?’”

Layman said the answer harkens back to World War I, when daylight saving time was enacted as a way to save fuel. It was discontinued after that war, then brought back and made permanent during World War II.

Freiberg cited studies that have shown daylight saving time makes it easier for children to sleep, reduces car accidents and can even reduce the risk of heart problems, strokes and depression.

While committee members were mostly receptive to the proposal, several did have questions surrounding the confusion that could result if Minnesota stayed on daylight saving time year-round while most of the rest country did not.

Rep. Nick Zerwas (R-Elk River) talked about visiting an Arizona city along the Nevada border and never being exactly sure what the time was during his stay.

“I’d be much more interested in supporting a move like this if it was a federal move, or if we did it in groups of states,” Zerwas said.

Freiberg said similar challenges now exist in areas along time zone boundaries, and the benefits of the change would outweigh any confusion that may be caused.

Layman said it would be easier on everybody if the law was changed at the national level, but Minnesota shouldn’t be afraid to take a leading role on the issue.

“If none of us does anything, nothing is going to get done,” Layman said. “… Once Wisconsin and the Dakotas and Iowa see that it was successful and it does make sense, that we could have a regional impact and eventually nationally too.”

The companion, SF1416, is sponsored by Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake) and awaits action on the Senate Floor.