Oregon lawmakers push for year-round daylight saving time

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — This Sunday at 2 a.m., clocks will fall back one hour and mark the end of daylight saving time. Although many Oregonians may be looking forward to the extra hour of sleep, some lawmakers want to put a stop to the ever-changing clocks.

In the early 1900s during World War I, daylight saving time was implemented as a wartime measure to conserve energy. The U.S. dropped the rule one year after the war ended, before re-instated the temporary measure amid World War II in 1942.

Former President Richard Nixon enacted permanent daylight saving time in response to the country’s energy crisis later in 1973. That following winter, parents expressed concerns for children who had to head to school in the dark.

Later in 1974, new President Gerald Ford approved the bill that prompted biannual clock changes.

Now, Hawaii and Arizona are the only U.S. states that lock the clocks year-round. State officials are hoping that Oregon can follow suit.

In 2019, former Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent for Oregon residents — but only if the neighboring states of California and Washington enacted the rule.

While Washington passed their own bill on permanent daylight saving time that same year, California has yet to follow its lead.

Despite this, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is one of numerous lawmakers nationwide who has reintroduced a bill to keep the clocks the same year-round.

“It’s time to put a stop to the twice-a-year time-change madness,” Wyden said in March, before the clocks changed for the first time this year.

"Science and common sense show that more year-round daylight would improve our health, help kids spend a bit more time enjoying outdoor after school activities, and encourage folks to support local businesses while on a sunny stroll in their communities," he continued.