Bill To Scrap Daylight Saving Time In California Passes Another Hurdle
SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) -- A Bay Area lawmaker's proposal to do away with Daylight Saving Time in California cleared another Senate committee on Thursday.
The State Senate Appropriations Committee cleared Assembly Bill 385 by Assemblymember Kansen Chu (D-San Jose), which would put the question of whether to end Daylight Saving Time on the ballot.
In June, the proposal passed the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.
The bill now goes to the Senate floor. The soonest voters could have their say would be on the 2018 ballot, only after the bill passes both legislative chambers and is approved by Gov. Jerry Brown.
California voters approved Daylight Saving Time with a ballot measure in 1949, seen over the years as a mechanism to help conserve energy and allow for increased daytime activities following working hours.
The practice also has plenty of critics. Chu says not only does DST not conserve energy, he cites research that shows an increased number of heart attacks, traffic accidents and fatalities in the days following a time change.
Currently, Hawaii and much of Arizona observe standard time time year-round.
