Pennsylvania Legislature Pushes For Permanent Daylight Saving Time

HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Are you still feeling the effects of losing sleep an hour of sleep over the weekend? It could all be a thing of the past with a bill being discussed in Harrisburg.

Lehigh and Berks County Representative Ryan Mackenzie sponsored a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.

By a vote of 23-2, it passed the state House state government committee.

"A lot of people think it's an obsolete concept," said 51st District Representative Matthew Dowling, a Republican.

Rep. Dowling said his constituents feel the idea of "spring forward and fall back" is disruptive and no longer needed.

"I found that universally most people, regardless of party, are in favor," he said over Zoom.

One of the two no votes, 57th District Representative Eric Nelson, a Republican, said this is not Pennsylvania's decision. He said it's up to the federal government to handle this.

"There's enough confusion from government as it is. We shouldn't be making decisions about things that we don't warrant that authority," Rep. Nelson said.

If the bill does pass, Congress would have to approve the change.

If it were approved, what does that mean for businesses? Point Park University Associate Professor and Program Director of Marketing and Sales Dorene Ciletti said it could help the retail and entertainment sectors.

"That perception that the day continues and that there is more time to do some of the things that they feel like they need to do or simply want to do," she said.

The challenge would be when Pennsylvania is not synced up with neighboring states like West Virginia or Ohio.

"It could present some challenges to those organizations if they have close connections and ties to others in those surrounding states but it is certainly something that isn't insurmountable," Ciletti said over Zoom.

"It's exciting to get that extra hour of daylight. It's also important to have that extra hour in the morning," Rep. Nelson said.

Rep. Dowling said lawmakers are looking at how to deal with that challenge but they also want to give the people what they are asking for.

"It's something that our constituents want and that's why we've moved it out of committee for consideration for the full House," Rep. Dowling said.

From here, the bill still has to pass the state House and Senate before it goes to the governor.

Another bill being discussed would make Standard Time permanent, so the opposite of this bill.