With daylight saving time beginning Sunday, Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara and Senator Joseph Griffo reiterated today that they have introduced legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent in New York.

The U.S. had daylight saving time as early as 1918, with the current federal policy – the Uniform Time Act – being enacted in 1966, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. As a result, most Americans advance their clocks by an hour in the warmer months so that it gets dark later and move their clocks back an hour in the fall. All states except for Hawaii and Arizona, as well as several U.S. territories, follow daylight saving time.

The legislation introduced by Assemblyman Santabarbara and Senator Griffo would establish daylight saving time as the year-round standard of time in New York, contingent upon the repeal of the 1966 federal law, and would take effect after Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania enact similar legislation.

“When clocks spring forward on Sunday morning, the consequences are more than simply losing an hour of sleep. Studies have shown that this transition has a negative effect on sleep, productivity, concentration, and general well-being,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “While daylight saving time has been reported to save energy by having Americans turn on their lights later at night, studies have shown relatively little is actually saved during this period of time especially when we compare the costly effects on our health and the economy during this transition. Recent estimates show millions of dollars are lost each year due to drastic decreases in workplace productivity due to a reduction in sleep. Fifteen other states have already enacted similar legislation, and it’s time for New York to follow suit. Making Daylight Saving Time permanent would improve quality of life for New Yorkers and benefit our economy.”

“Time is up on changing our clocks twice a year,” Senator Griffo said. “Research and studies have shown that continuing to move our clocks forward and backward each year can negatively affect the safety and wellbeing of the public and can hurt businesses and the economy. I appreciate Assemblyman Santabarbara sponsoring this bill in the Assembly and will continue to work with him and my partners in government throughout the Northeastern United States and Canada to bring about this needed and beneficial change.”