What’s Happening
Big news for Nevadans tired of changing their clocks twice a year! A bill aimed at ending the biannual clock change associated with Daylight Saving Time and switching the state to permanent standard time advanced out of committee in the Nevada Legislature with bipartisan support.
The measure, dubbed the ‘Lock the Clock’ Act, (Assembly Bil 81) is sponsored by Reno-area Democratic Assm. Selena La Rue Hatch, but Republican Sen. Robin Titus is backing the exact same measure in the upper chamber.
We’ve already had this year’s spring forward on March 9. If passed, Nevada would fall back in November and stay there permanently.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
For conservatives who value limited government, this bill represents a return to local control.
For a state to stay on daylight time all year requires congressional approval. In contrast, a state can stay on standard time without federal permission. This means Nevada can make this decision independently without waiting for Washington.
President Trump entered the debate in December with a post on Truth Social:
“The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Savings Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Savings Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.”
The bill aligns with conservative principles of reducing unnecessary regulation. The current system imposes government-mandated time changes on citizens twice yearly – a perfect example of government overreach that serves little purpose.
The Health Case for Ending Clock Changes
La Rue Hatch has been vocal about the health implications of time changes,telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
“We see that there’s a lot of negative health effects when we switch the clocks either forward or back, including higher incidence of heart attacks, stroke, hospital admissions, car accidents and a whole lot more.”
These concerns are backed by solid research. A 2020 University of Colorado at Boulder study found fatal car accidents increase by 6% during the first week after spring time changes, resulting in approximately 28 deaths annually.
The British Medical Journal reported a 24% spike in heart attacks on the Monday after daylight saving time begins in spring, with a 21% decrease when clocks return to standard time in fall.
What the Public is Saying
Public opinion is divided on the issue, with 53% supporting and 45% opposing the bill in comments submitted to the legislature.
Supporters point to health benefits:
“Scientific data has long supported ending the seasonal changing of time due to its negative effects on sleep patterns, mood, and overall health.”
Critics worry about different concerns:
“Staying on winter time schedule is dangerous for kids walking home from sports practice in the dark.”
Another citizen commented in opposition:
“Las Vegas sits on the far eastern edge of PST and it is dark by 4:00 for months during the winter. We need MORE useable daylight hours.”
The Path Forward
The bill exempts Nevada from the federal provisions requiring the observance of daylight saving time. Nevada would remain on Pacific Standard Time throughout the entire year.
Unlike previous legislation, Assembly Bill 81 does not require coordination with neighboring states or federal approval. Two states, Hawaii and Arizona, are permanently on standard time. Nevada could join them in taking a common-sense approach to time.
If you support ending clock changes, here’s what you can do:
- Contact your state representatives about AB 81 and tell them you support the bill.
- Track the bill on the Nevada State Legislature website.
The bill could be voted on by the full Assembly in the coming weeks, with a deadline to advance out of the state assembly by April 22. The bipartisan nature of this effort suggests the bill could receive serious consideration in the current legislative session.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
