Alaska Legislature considers permanent standard time following strong public support

The Alaska State Legislature's Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee convened on March 18, 2025, to discuss significant public sentiment regarding daylight saving time. The meeting featured a presentation of survey results indicating a strong preference among Alaskan constituents for the elimination of daylight saving time in favor of permanent standard time.

The survey revealed that 75.6% of respondents favored permanent standard time, while only 24.4% preferred permanent daylight saving time. Additionally, a striking 95.5% of participants expressed dissatisfaction with the biannual clock changes, and 97.7% indicated a desire to abolish daylight saving time altogether. These findings were presented by a committee member who emphasized the strong public support for this change.

The committee also heard from invited testifier JP, president of the nonprofit Save Standard Time, who provided insights into the implications of maintaining daylight saving time. JP argued against Senate Bill 26, advocating instead for Senate Bill 102, which supports permanent standard time. He highlighted the health risks associated with daylight saving time, including sleep deprivation and increased accidents, and noted that permanent daylight saving time would lead to excessively late sunrises in Alaska, particularly in Anchorage and Western Alaska.

JP referenced the consensus among various health organizations, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the National Safety Council, which advocate for permanent standard time as beneficial for public health and safety. He pointed out that states like Arizona and Hawaii have successfully adopted permanent standard time, and there is growing interest in similar measures across the United States.

The meeting underscored a clear call from Alaskan constituents for legislative action to eliminate daylight saving time, reflecting a broader national trend towards reconsidering timekeeping practices. The committee's discussions will likely influence future legislative decisions regarding time policy in Alaska.