Witness urges committee to oppose SCR 6, citing health and safety risks of year-round daylight time

The Government Oversight and Reform Committee heard opponent testimony on Senate Concurrent Resolution 6 from Michael Garahan, a board member of Safe Standard Time, who urged members not to advance the resolution.

Garahan told the committee that moving the clock ahead year round reduces morning light and undermines circadian signals that help people wake and sleep. He said an abundance of research links reduced morning light to poorer sleep, higher rates of certain chronic health conditions and increased accident risk. "The morning light helps us wake up, the evening darkness helps us go to sleep," Garahan said, and he cited recommendations from medical organizations favoring standard time year round.

Garahan also described historical and regional context, noting that prior to 1966 parts of the country observed standard time year round and that a brief federal experiment in 1973 was reversed after the public reacted to dark winter mornings. He said several neighboring states have bills proposing year-round standard time and cited a Gallup poll he said showed 48% public support for year-round standard time and 24% support for year-round daylight time.

Vice Chair Brenner asked Garahan to supply the studies he referenced; Garahan agreed to email the committee clerk with his citations. The chair closed the second hearing on SCR 6 and directed members to written testimony available on their committee iPads.

Ending: Garahan asked the committee to preserve morning light for safety and the public's circadian health and requested the committee not to advance SCR 6.