TULSA, Okla. — One month from today, Oklahomans will turn their clocks back one hour. The bi-annual clock changes inevitably come with irritations. Overall, most surveys point to the majority of Americans tired of changing the clocks.
Representative Kevin West introduced a bill three times to end Daylight Saving Time to no avail. He says there is a lot of confusion about it.
“Whenever I talk about specifics of moving to standard time, it’s like ‘well, is that what we are in now?’”
Permanent standard time is a tough sell—it means losing those summer sunny nights by an hour and getting dark earlier.
West says he launched an interim study to explain to lawmakers why he believes—if Oklahomans don’t like clock change, permanent standard time is the best chance of getting it stopped.
Rep. West says, while some states passed bills for permanent Daylight Saving Time, it’s a waste of time because it’s federally prohibited.
“They [federal government] have to approve it and they haven’t approved a single one,” said West.
West brought in a third-generation farmer from Beggs in support of Standard Time. He also brought in Dr. Jeffrey Gentry, who says his research shows more people die in car accidents living in misaligned time zones.
“This is the most non-partisan issue there is and this issue is literally about life and death,” said Gentry.
“Standard time much more aligns with our bodies and how we function,” said West.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports permanent standard time.
Tyler Haughn works in construction and prefers it as well.
“It helps out a lot because we get up early and we are out here but we have to wait an hour,” said Haughn. “Instead of starting at six we have to start at seven.”
His dad, Kevin, prefers Daylight Saving Time. “You get home from work and it’s dark [with standard time],” he said. “I like it the way it is now.
Federal legislation to move the nation to permanent daylight time has stalled. For now, most Americans will be moving the clock on November 5.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that currently operate on permanent standard time.
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