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Will Texas Abolish Daylight Saving Time?

Wikimedia Commons
A map of daylight saving time use across the world — countries in blue still use the time-switch, those in orange previously used DST and those in red have never enacted a time-switch.";

Like many across the world, you may have come into work late this week because of daylight saving time. Yesterday, lawmakers heard testimony on a bill that could end the “spring forward” clock change once and for all in Texas.

State Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Canton) says there are a lot of myths about daylight saving time. He says farmers don’t really care for it, and that it doesn’t seem to conserve energy. He even says there are studies showing more car accidents and heart attacks following the clock change.

But, the main reason he filed a bill to abolish the time change is probably the one most people can relate to: It's just a big hassle.

"I got a different car, and I couldn't figure out how to change the time on my clock," he told the House Committee on Government Transparency and Operation on Wednesday. "I was complaining to some of my friends there at home, and I found out that everybody in the room was upset with having to change the clock every eight months."

Flynn said his bill has received a big response. More than 6,000 people have contacted his office about it, but not everyone is in support of Flynn's plan.

The committee did hear from one woman who said she likes the extra time daylight saving affords in the evenings to be outdoors. She said she’d be happy to end the “fall back,” but not the spring forward. Of course, there can’t be one without the other.

 

Mose Buchele focuses on energy and environmental reporting at KUT. Got a tip? Email him at mbuchele@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @mosebuchele.