United States and Daylight Saving Time (DST):
The United States follows a standardized Daylight Saving Time schedule. Clocks spring forward one hour on the second Sunday of March and fall back one hour on the first Sunday of November. This means more daylight in the evenings during summer months. Only two states, Arizona and Hawaii, don't observe daylight saving time. Also 19 states in the United States have passed legislation to make the Daylight Saving Time permanent.
Ohio and Daylight Saving Time:
Clocks were "spring forward" on Sunday, March 10th, 2024 at 2:00 AM local time, extending daylight hours until November when clocks fall behind.
Making the Daylight Saving Time Permanent in Ohio?
The Ohio House of Representatives recently passed a bill proposing permanent DST observance in the state. This bill will urge Congress to enact the Sunshine Uniformity Act of 2023 and switch Ohio to observe Daylight Saving Time permanently.
This resolution was introduced by State Reps. R-West Alexandria, Rodney Creech, R-Sabina and Bob Peterson in May. This bill would mean darker mornings and lighter nights the whole year because the time of sunrise and sunset would be moved back one hour.
While talking to Ohio House State and Local Government Committee Rodney Creech stated that:
“Switching to daylight saving time would increase the hours of sunlight in the evenings year round and could help combat some mental health issues from the darker winter evenings we currently have on standard time. When you’ve been at work all day, the last thing you want to do is open that door to go outside and it’s dark out. It gives a little more daylight at the end of the day.”
State Reps who voted against this bill were Latyna Humprhey, D-Columbus, and Daniel Troy, D-Willowick.
While this bill was passed by the House, it still needs Senate approval and ultimately the governor's signature to become law. The Ohio residents should stay informed about the progress of this legislation.
You can see the full legislative document and also the progress of the bill from this link: House Concurrent Resolution
