When Did Daylight Savings Time Start

Daylight Saving Time has been a long-standing topic of debate in America, and recent developments have reignited discussions on its permanence. The US Senate recently voted without objection to end the practice of changing clocks twice a year, a move celebrated by many. However, this isn’t the first time such a proposal has emerged.

In the 1970s, America faced an energy crisis, prompting Congress to experiment with year-round Daylight Saving Time for two years. The goal was to reduce energy consumption by maximizing evening sunlight. Unfortunately, the public quickly grew unhappy with the change, enduring months of dark mornings. Furthermore, the energy-saving benefits were not realized, leading Congress to repeal the law before the experiment’s completion.

The issue resurfaces nearly 50 years later as Congress revisits the idea of ending clock changes. This article aims to shed light on the inception of Daylight Saving Time and its subsequent evolution. From its first notable appearance in Germany during World War I to its adoption and adaptations in different countries around the globe, we will delve into the key milestones that shaped this time-adjusting practice.

Daylight Saving Time History

Daylight Saving Time, commonly abbreviated as DST, is a practice of adjusting clocks forward by one hour during the summer months to extend evening daylight. The main objective of DST is to make better use of natural daylight and reduce energy consumption by taking advantage of longer evenings. The concept of DST has a long history, with early proponents like Benjamin Franklin suggesting maximizing daylight hours. Over time, DST has been adopted and repealed in different countries, often sparking debates about its benefits and drawbacks. Today, DST is observed in various regions worldwide, albeit with variations in start and end debates, while some countries choose not to observe DST.

Origins and Early Concepts

Daylight Saving Time originates from the concept of adjusting clocks to maximize daylight during the summer months. The idea can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Romans and the ancient Egyptians, who adjusted their schedules to take advantage of longer daylight hours. However, the modern concept of DST began to take shape during the late 19th century.

Benjamin Franklin’s Proposal

One of the earliest proponents of DST was Benjamin Franklin. In 1784, he wrote an essay titled “An Economical Project,” which suggested that people could save money on candles by waking up earlier to utilize natural morning daylight. Although Franklin’s proposal wasn’t implemented, his idea laid the groundwork for future developments.

William Willet and British Implementation

The first practical implementation of DST can be credited to British builder William Willett in 1905; Willet published a pamphlet called “The Waste of Daylight,” in which he proposed adjusting clocks forward by 20 minutes on each of the four Sundays in April and reversing the process in September. However, after World War I, the British government adopted DST in 1916 as a wartime measure to conserve energy.

Widespread Adoption

Following Britain’s lead, other countries began to adopt DST to varying degrees. During World War I, several European nations, including Germany and Austria-Hungary, implemented DST to save fuel and increase productivity. The United States followed suit in 1918, implementing DST as the Standard Time Act, a federal law. However, DST was repealed in many countries after the war due to mixed public opinions.

Conflicting Opinions and Repeals

The adoption of DST has often been met with controversy and opposition. Over the years, some countries discontinued DST due to its perceived adverse effects. For example, after World War I, the United States repealed DST, and its observance became a matter of local choice. Similarly, during World War II, DST was temporarily implemented in various countries but was later abandoned.

Uniformity and Standardization

In the mid-20th century, efforts were made to standardize DST observance. In the United States, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 established consistent start and end dates for DST, although individual states retained the ability to opt out. Other countries also sought uniformity, creating coordinated DST schedules within regions or time zones.

Adjustments and Modern Practices

DST observance has evolved. Countries have adjusted their DST schedules for energy conservation, transportation, and public safety. Recently, some regions have experimented with extending DST or making it year-round to minimize disruptions associated with clock changes. Notably, in 2021, The European Union decided to end the practice of seasonal clock changes altogether, aiming to maintain a permanent standard time from 2021 onward.

Global Variations and Non-Adoption

It’s important to note that DST is not universally observed. Many countries, particularly those closer to the equator, do not utilize DST, as the daylight hours do not fluctuate significantly throughout the year. Additionally, political and cultural factors have influenced the adoption and discontinuation of DST in various regions, resulting in a diverse global landscape regarding its implementation.

Current Status of Daylight Saving Time in the United States

In March 2022, the US Senate unanimously approved the Sunshine Protection Act to establish Daylight Saving Time (DST) year-round and eliminate the return to standard time. However, the Act did not pass in the House of Representatives. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and other organizations opposed the Act and advocated for permanent standard time. By January 2023, the 117th Congress concluded without the House voting on the Act. A survey showed that only 21% of Americans prefer changing clocks twice a year, while 50% would like permanent DST, and 31% prefer permanent standard time. As of March 2023, no state in the US has permanent daylight time, and most regions will continue changing clocks twice a year as usual.

As the discussion around Daylight Saving Time continues, policymakers, experts, and the public will play crucial roles in shaping the future of timekeeping practices. The ongoing debates, legislative efforts, and evolving societal needs will determine whether changes are made to the current system or if a more permanent solution, such as permanent DST or standard time, is adopted.

When Did Daylight Savings Time Start In 1970?

Daylight Saving Time Started on 26 Apr 1970

At the point when the local standard time was about to be Sunday, 26 April 1970, 02:00:00, clocks were turned forward 1 hour to Sunday, 26 April 1970, 03:00:00 local daylight time. Dawn and dusk were around 1 hour later on 26 April 1970 than the day preceding. There was more light in the evening time.

Daylight Saving Time Ended on 25 Oct 1970

At the point when local daylight time was about to be Sunday, 25 October 1970, 02:00:00, clocks were turned in reverse 1 hour to Sunday, 25 October 1970, 01:00:00 local standard time. Dawn and nightfall were around 1 hour sooner on 25 October 1970 than the day preceding. There was all the more light in the first part of the day, that is, the morning.

Daylight Saving Time USA

Daylight saving time in the United States is setting the clock forward by one hour when there is longer sunlight during the day, with the goal that nights have more sunshine and mornings have less. Most regions of the United States and Canada notice sunshine-sparing time (DST), the special cases being Arizona (aside from the Navajo, who do notice sunlight-sparing time on ancestral grounds), Hawaii, and the abroad domains of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. The Uniform Time Act 1966 set up uniform daylight savings time arrangements throughout the US.

In the U.S., daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and finishes on the first Sunday in November, with the time changes occurring at 2:00 a.m. local time. With a memory helper wordplay alluding to seasons, clocks “spring forward, fall back”— in springtime, the clocks were pushed ahead from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.; in fall, they are moved back from 2:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. This change occurs for almost 34 weeks, about 65% of the year.

Inconsistent use in the U.S.

In the mid-1960s, recognition of Daylight Saving Time was very conflicting, with time observances being jumbled up and no understanding of when to change clocks. The Interstate Commerce Commission, the country’s watch, was immobilized, and the issue stayed halted. Numerous business interests favored normalization, even though it became an uphill battle between indoor and outdoor theater ventures. The farmers, nonetheless, were against such consistency. State and local governments were an utter mix of confusion, contingent upon local conditions.

A transportation industry association empowered endeavors at normalization, the Committee for Time Uniformity. They overviewed the country by addressing phone administrators regarding local time observances and found the circumstance confounding. Next, the Committee’s objective was a solid, strong story on the first page of the New York Times. Having revitalized the overall population’s help, the Time Uniformity Committee’s objective was cultivated, however simply after finding and revealing that on the 35-mile stretch of the interstate (Route 2) between Moundsville, W.V., and Steubenville, Ohio, each transport driver and his travelers needed to persevere through seven-time changes!

Federal standard established

By 1962, the transportation business found the absence of consistency sufficiently confounding to push for government guidelines. The outcome was the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Starting in 1967, the demonstration ordered standard time inside the setup time regions and accommodated progressed time: Clocks would be progressed one hour beginning at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday in April and turned around one hour at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday in October. States were permitted to exclude themselves from DST as long as the whole state did as such. If a state decided to notify DST, the time changes were needed to start and end on the set-up dates. The demonstration likewise required states that already used daylight saving time in 1966 to begin it on the last Sunday in April and end it on the last Sunday in October. In 1967, Arizona and Michigan became the main states to exclude themselves from DST (Michigan would start noticing DST in 1972). In 1972, the demonstration was corrected, permitting those states split between time regions to absolve either the whole state or that piece of the state existing in an alternate time region. The recently made Department of Transportation (DOT) was offered the capacity to authorize the law. Starting in 2020, the following states and regions are not noticing DST: Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, The Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Year-round experiment

During the 1973 oil ban by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), with an end goal to monitor fuel, Congress instituted a time for testing of all-year DST (P.L. 93-182), starting January 6, 1974, and finishing April 27, 1975. The preliminary was fervently discussed. Those in kindness highlighted expanded sunlight hours in the mid-year evening: more entertainment opportunities, decreased lighting and warming requests, diminished wrongdoing, and decreased car crashes. The resistance was worried about kids leaving for school in obscurity and the development business of morning mishaps. The demonstration was corrected in October 1974 (P.L. 93-434) to a re-visitation of standard time for a very long time, starting October 27, 1974, and finishing February 23, 1975, when DST continued. When the preliminary finished in October 1975, the nation returned to noticing summer DST (with the previously mentioned exemptions).

Extension of daylight saving time

In 1975, Congress requested the National Bureau of Standards (NBS, today NIST) to assess the DOT report. Its report, “Audit and Technical Evaluation of the DOT Daylight Saving Time Study” (April 1976), found no critical energy investment funds or contrasts in rush hour gridlock fatalities. It discovered measurably critical proof of expanded fatalities among young kids in the mornings during the four-month time frame of January – April 1974 as contrasted with a similar period (non-DST) of 1973. NBS expressed that it was difficult to decide what, assuming any, of this expansion was because of DST. At the point when this information was looked at somewhere in the range of 1973 and 1974 for the long periods of March and April, no critical contrast was found in fatalities among young kids in the mornings. In 1986 Congress authorized revising the Uniform Time Act by changing the start of DST to the first Sunday in April and having the end remain the last Sunday in October. These beginning and end dates were essentially from 1987 to 2006. The time was changed to 2:00 a.m. local time.

Second extension

By the Energy Policy Act of 2005, daylight saving time (DST) was stretched out in the United States starting in 2007. As of that year, DST starts on the second Sunday of March and finishes on the first Sunday of November. Whenever April 1 falls on Monday through Wednesday, these progressions bring about a DST period that is five weeks longer; in all different years, the DST time frame is rather a month longer. In 2008, daylight saving time finished at 2:00 a.m. DST (0200) (1:00 a.m. ST) on Sunday, November 2, and in 2009 it started at 2:00 a.m. (3:00 a.m. DST) on Sunday, March 8.

Proposals for the introduction of Year-Round DST

A whole development has been coordinated on the side of the sanctioning of utilizing light-sparing time as the all-year clock choice. Bills have been presented in more than 30 states to end DST or make it perpetual.

The fundamental contention for presenting all-year DST is that the ways of life and work examples of cutting-edge residents are not, at this point, viable with the idea of moving the clock each spring and fall. Allies likewise contend that changing to ”Forward Time” would bring about sparing energy by diminishing the requirement for fake light. The Daylight Protection Act of 2019 was presented in the Senate by Senator Marco Rubio (R) of Florida to make the occasions utilized for DST standard time and terminate DST. It has bipartisan help from legislators from Washington and Tennessee; however, it has not yet gotten a consultation in the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation advisory group.

In 2015, the Nevada Senate passed Nevada Assembly Joint Resolution 4, which encouraged Congress to institute enactment permitting singular states to set up light-sparing time as the standard time in their states throughout the scheduled year. This would imply that Nevada is at a similar time as Arizona throughout the year; however, it would be an hour in front of California in the colder time of year. The United States Congress has not yet authorized any empowering enactment in such a manner.

On March 6, 2018, the Florida Senate affirmed the Daylight Protection Act, which would put Florida on lasting light-sparing time all year, and Governor Rick Scott marked it March 23. Congress must correct the current 1966 government law to permit the change. In November 2018, electors in California endorsed an authoritative arrangement for all-year light-sparing time. Notwithstanding, it requires the vote of 66% of the state’s governing body and the endorsement of Congress.

In 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed Substitute House Bill 1196, which would set up all year perception of sunshine sparing time dependent upon the United States Congress altering government law to approve states to notice light sparing time all year. Tennessee and Oregon passed bills in 2019 for all-year DST, and authoritative houses in Alabama and Arkansas affirmed goals in courtesy.

DST in the Different Locations of the US

The observance of DST varies across different states in the United States, with each region having its unique considerations and factors influencing its approach to timekeeping. From states like Alaska, where round-the-clock summer daylight raises questions about the necessity of DST, to regions like Florida, where the minimal variation in day length makes it less useful, the decision to observe or not observe DST is a matter of contention. Additionally, certain U.S. insular territories have their distinct stance on DST.  Let’s explore the varied perspectives and historical context surrounding DST in different locations, shedding light on the intricacies of timekeeping practices across the United States.

Alaska

Alaska observes daylight saving time (DST), although some Alaskans consider it unnecessary and inconvenient due to the nearly round-the-clock daylight during summer. The single time zone in the state, based on the capital Juneau, causes a significant disparity between civil time and solar time, with sunset occurring well after midnight in some areas.

Arizona

Arizona observed DST in 1967 but has not observed it since due to an exemption statute enacted in March 1968. This decision aims to conserve energy, as the hot climate in cities like Phoenix and Tucson leads to increased power usage for cooling. However, the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona does observe DST, while the Hopi Reservation within Arizona does not.

California

In 1949, California voters passed Proposition 12, which approved DST in the state. In 2018, Proposition 7 granted legislative power to change DST measures and establish year-round DST, pending federal authorization.

Florida

DST is considered less useful in Florida due to its minimal variation in day length throughout the year. However, in 2018, the Sunshine Protection Act was approved, allowing Florida to observe year-round DST if authorized by the U.S. Congress. The state’s unique position across two time zones allows the legislature to return parts of the state to standard time along time-zone boundaries.

Hawaii

Hawaii has never observed DST since opting out of the Uniform Time Act in 1967. Due to its tropical latitude, there is little variation in daylight length between seasons. The advancement of the clock to DST in Hawaii would not significantly affect sunrise times.

Indiana

Indiana has a complex history with DST. 1949 the state outlawed DST, but a federal lawsuit in 1968 led to its observance. From 1970 to 2006, most of Indiana did not observe DST. Since April 2006, the entire state has observed DST, with some counties in the Central Time Zone and the rest in the Eastern Time Zone.

Michigan

Michigan initially exempted itself from DST in 1967 but observed it temporarily until a referendum sustained the exemption from 1969 to 1972. In November 1972, voters approved a measure to repeal the exemption, and Michigan has observed DST since then. Most of the state is in the Eastern Time Zone, while a few Upper Peninsula counties are in the Central Time Zone.

Other U.S. locations

U.S. insular territories, such as American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, do not observe DST. American Samoa cannot follow DST due to the observation period mandated by the Uniform Time Act, which does not align with the Southern Hemisphere’s seasons. Implementing DST in American Samoa would result in adverse effects on daylight hours.

Daylight Saving Time Europe

History

Daylight saving time was first presented during the First World War. Be that as it may, most nations stopped utilizing it after the war. It was then restarted in different nations during the Second World War and its immediate aftermath. Again it was broadly dropped by the 1950s, yet once again introduced in disengaged cases until the last part of the 1960s, when the energy emergency of the last part of the 1960s and mid-1970s started to incite policymakers to introduce Daylight Saving Time over the mainland. It has stayed set up in most European nations from that point forward.

Verifiably the nations of Europe had various practices for noticing Summer Time, yet this impeded coordination of transport, correspondences, and developments. In 1981, the European Commission started giving orders requiring part states to enact blended beginning and end dates for Summer Time.

Since 1981 every mandate has determined a changing season of 01:00 UTC and a beginning date of the last Sunday in March; however, the end dates have varied. Progressive Directives set down two dates for the end: one on the last Sunday in September applied by the mainland Member States, and the other on the fourth Sunday in October for the United Kingdom and Ireland. In 1996 the end date was changed to the fourth Sunday in October for all nations. In 1998 the end date was changed to the last Sunday in October; this was equivalent to the past guideline for 1996 and 1997. The ninth mandate, Directive 2000/84/EC, at present (2018) in power, indicates this standard.

Future

In 2015 and 2016, individual members of the European Parliament proposed the cancellation of mid-year clock adjustments. However, the European Commission refrained from recommending changes, citing a lack of conclusive evidence and divided opinions among member states. Nevertheless, concerns were raised regarding the potential costs incurred if synchronization of summer time rules among member states was lost.

In 2017, the Finnish and Lithuanian parliaments, along with voices from Poland and Sweden, called upon the EU to reconsider daylight saving time. The European Commission responded by initiating a review of the practice.

On February 8, 2018, the European Parliament took a significant step by urging the European Commission to reconsider daylight saving time in Europe. Following an online survey involving 4.6 million European citizens, which overwhelmingly supported abandoning biannual clock changes, the European Commission proposed ending the practice on September 12, 2018, by revoking Directive 2000/84/EC. However, for this proposal to take effect, it must undergo the standard legislative process, requiring approval from the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

Under the proposal, member countries were tasked with deciding by March 31, 2019, whether to adopt permanent summer or winter time. Many viewed this timeline as tight. On March 4, 2019, the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee endorsed the Commission’s proposal by 23 votes to 11. However, the implementation start date was postponed until at least 2021 to ensure a smooth transition, with the Commission responsible for coordinating member states’ decisions to avoid market disruptions.

While the entire European Parliament approved the decision on March 26, 2019, the Council of Ministers has yet to give its endorsement as of July 2020. According to the draft legislation, member states would have the flexibility to choose whether to maintain their current summer or winter time, with the final clock change scheduled for either the last Sunday of March 2021 or the last Sunday of October 2021.

In July 2019, an Irish government consultation revealed that 80% of respondents opposed any measure leading to different time zones between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Consequently, Ireland announced its opposition to the proposed directive and aimed to rally support from other EU states. A qualified majority of 55% of member states representing at least 65% of the European population is required for the Council of Ministers to enact a directive.

In the UK, the House of Lords launched an inquiry in July 2019 to examine the implications of European changes and assess the necessary preparations and factors informing the UK’s response. If the UK chooses to maintain summer/winter time, Northern Ireland would experience a one-hour time difference for approximately 30 to 31 weeks of the year compared to either the rest of Ireland or the rest of the UK. Despite the UK Government’s statement in September 2018 that it has no plans to end daylight saving, as of October 2020, the Council of the European Union has yet to confirm the decision.

Daylight Saving Time in 2023: Time Change Dates

DST follows a consistent pattern each year, beginning on the second Sunday in March and ending on the first Sunday in November. To remember the direction of clock adjustment, people often use the phrase “spring forward, fall back.”

• In 2023, Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 a.m. Clocks are set forward by 1 hour, resulting in one hour of sleep loss. This change is known as “spring forward.” As a result, sunrise and sunset will be approximately 1 hour later than the previous day, providing more daylight in the evening.
• Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at 2:00 a.m. On Saturday night, clocks are set back by 1 hour, gaining more sleep. This adjustment is known as “falling back.” Following the change, sunrise and sunset will occur approximately 1 hour earlier than the previous day, resulting in more light in the morning.

It is worth noting that clock changes typically occur at 2:00 a.m. It is recommended to adjust clocks before bed on Saturday to ensure accurate timekeeping.

When did Daylight Savings Time start in history?

Daylight Saving Time (DST) was implemented in the United States in 1918. It was then repealed and re-implemented several times before becoming a permanent fixture in 1966. DST typically begins on the second Sunday of March and ends on the first Sunday of November.

When did Daylight Savings Time start, and why?

The first Daylight Saving Time (DST) was used in 1918 in the United States to conserve coal during wartime. The idea was proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784, but it was not until 100 years later that it was actually enacted. DST is now used in over 70 countries worldwide.

The primary reason for Daylight Savings Time is to use daylight better. We change our clocks so that during the summer months, evenings have more daylight and mornings have less. This allows people to enjoy more evening outdoor activities and hopefully save on energy consumption.

Things You Didn’t Know About DST

Daylight saving time, a practice of adjusting clocks forward during the warmer months, has been a subject of debate and curiosity for many years. While it is commonly believed that daylight saving time was implemented to benefit farmers, historical evidence reveals a different story. Here are some misconceptions you might want to clear about Daylight Savings Time

Correct Terminology: “Daylight Saving Time” versus “Daylight Savings Time”

The appropriate term is “daylight saving time” rather than “daylight savings time.” The word “saving” functions as an adjective in this context; thus, the singular form is grammatically correct.

Benjamin Franklin’s Role: A Misconception Debunked

While Benjamin Franklin advocated maximizing daylight waking hours, he did not originate the idea of moving clocks forward. In 1784, during his time in Paris, Franklin wrote a satirical essay suggesting that Parisians could save money by waking up earlier to utilize natural daylight. However, his proposal focused on sleep schedules rather than altering time.

William Willett’s Campaign: Championing Daylight Saving Time

Englishman William Willett spearheaded the first campaign for implementing daylight savings time. During an early-morning horseback ride around London in 1905, Willett envisioned advancing the clocks by 80 minutes between April and October to use sunlight better. He published the brochure “The Waste of Daylight” in 1907 and passionately advocated for “summer time.” Unfortunately, despite his persistent efforts and personal investment, the British Parliament repeatedly blocked the measure, and Willett passed away in 1915 without seeing his idea implemented.

Germany’s Pioneering Role in Enacting Daylight Savings Time

Germany became the first to adopt daylight saving time during World War I. On April 30, 1916, Germany embraced this measure to conserve electricity. It is worth noting that Germany’s decision to implement daylight saving time preceded the United Kingdom’s adoption of “Summertime,” which would have surprised and possibly dismayed William Willett, as Germany followed his recommendations before his own country did.

Farmers and Daylight Saving Time: Debunking Misconceptions

Contrary to popular belief, daylight savings time in the United States was not implemented to benefit farmers. When it was first introduced on March 31, 1918, as a wartime measure, the agricultural industry was actually opposed to the time change. Farmers’ schedules were dictated by the sun, not the clock, disrupting daylight saving. Harvesting hay required waiting for the dew to evaporate, hired hands maintained their regular dinner schedules, and cows couldn’t be milked an hour earlier to meet shipping demands. Agrarian interests fought for the repeal of national daylight saving time in 1919, and it was eventually overturned by Congress, despite President Woodrow Wilson’s veto. Over the years, urban entities like retail outlets and recreational businesses have supported daylight saving time.

Inconsistent Practices: A Patchwork of Local Timekeeping

Following the national repeal of daylight savings time in 1919, various states and cities, including New York City and Chicago, continued to observe the time change. The confusion intensified during World War II when national daylight savings time was reinstated temporarily. After the war, the inconsistent patchwork resumed, with states and localities choosing their start and end dates for daylight saving time. In Iowa alone, there were 23 different pairs of dates in 1965. Finally, in 1966, the Uniform Time Act was enacted, establishing standardized daylight saving time from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. However, states still had the option to remain on standard time year-round.

Exceptions to Time Changes in the United States

Hawaii and Arizona, except for the Navajo Nation, do not observe daylight savings time in the United States. Additionally, U.S. territories such as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands remain on standard time throughout the year. Some Amish communities also choose not to participate in daylight saving time. Approximately 70 countries globally observe daylight saving time, representing about one-quarter of the world’s population. In contrast, countries closer to the equator have less need for deviating from standard time due to minimal variations in daylight hours.

Energy Conservation Controversy

Energy conservation has been a touted benefit of daylight saving time since its inception. A U.S. Department of Transportation study in the 1970s suggested a 1 percent electricity saving during the spring and fall months. However, more recent studies have indicated that the increased demand for air conditioning due to daylight saving offsets lighting savings, particularly as air conditioning usage has risen.

Economists from the University of California Santa Barbara found that Indiana’s adoption of statewide daylight saving time in 2006 led to a 1 percent increase in residential electricity use due to additional air conditioning and heating demands. Some argue that higher recreational activity during daylight savings time also increases gasoline consumption.

Conclusion

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 implemented the current daylight savings time schedule, which took effect in 2007. Presently, most Americans adjust their clocks forward (losing 60 minutes) on the second Sunday of March at 2:00 a.m. and set them back (gaining 60 minutes) on the first Sunday of November at 2:00 a.m. Since March 2020, 32 states have introduced bills aimed at discontinuing the practice of changing clocks. However, the implementation of such changes depends on potential amendments to federal law. Amendments to the Uniform Time Act would be necessary to facilitate this transition.