RICHMOND, Va. — The U.S. House approved legislation this week that would end the twice-yearly clock changes and keep the country on permanent daylight saving time, unless a state opts out.
If the bill becomes law, Americans would no longer turn their clocks back in November or forward in March. Under permanent daylight saving time, winter mornings would be darker with later sunrises, but evenings would have more light. By contrast, permanent standard time — or winter hours — would mean earlier sunrises in the summer and less light in the evening.
An Associated Press poll from last year found nearly half of Americans dislike the current back-and-forth system. Among those who want a change, most prefer permanent summer hours.
Reaction to the idea was mostly positive among people in Richmond's Carytown neighborhood Thursday.
"I feel like we keep up with it for the sake of keeping up with it and we don't need to," Adam Schwarz said.
One resident, who gave only his first name, Omar, said the change would benefit his work in door-to-door sales.
"We in door-to-door, so it would help us get more time, basically, just to knock and help sell, help the team, you know, gain some momentum," Omar said.
Not everyone is on board. Critics of the switch point to the danger darker winter mornings could pose for children heading to school.
"As a teacher I know it's helpful for our students to not be out at the bus stop when it's pitch black," Eva Rocke said.
Others expressed frustration with the debate itself.
"I would like Congress to start running our country, instead of just running their mouths so much and bickering back and forth," Kevin Carr said.
The bill still needs Senate approval. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine said he is opposed, pointing to a similar switch attempted in the 1970s that was quickly reversed.
"It generated so much opposition that within six months, it was abandoned, and I have no reason to believe that the fate of it would be any different this time," Kaine said. "I don't think this sort of one-size-fits-all solution for the entire country is a very good idea."
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said he does not like turning back the clock but remains undecided on the legislation.
"Even though I would err on the side of more sunshine, you know the fact of what happens if kids have to go to school in the dark," Warner said.
Rocke offered her own suggestion for breaking the deadlock.
"They should just make it a half-hour. Back, forward, I don't care, but a half-hour so that way it's right in the middle. We're always talking about meeting in the middle, right?" Rocke said.
At the state level, competing bills were filed in the Virginia General Assembly this year — one to make summer hours permanent and another to make winter hours permanent. Both were continued to next year.
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