Despite efforts in Colorado and U.S. Senate against it, daylight saving time ended over the weekend
On Sunday morning clocks rolled back as daylight saving time came to an end. With that came the biannual adjustment affecting our sleep and mental health.
So, one may ask the question, why do we still do this, when Congress could put an end to it all? Many states, including Colorado, are waiting on Congress to act.
Gov. Jared Polis signed the "Daylight Saving Time Year-Round" measure last year. Polis is now waiting on the U.S. House to pass The Sunshine Protection Act.
In March 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the act, and it was supposed to make daylight saving time permanent starting this past spring. But the holdup is that the bill failed to be taken up in the house.
Colorado state Sen. Jeff Bridges is one of the sponsors of the Colorado bill signed into law last year to make daylight saving time permanent.
"The idea came from daylight savings time being terrible. Changing the clock twice a year is a nightmare," said Bridges. "Sleep schedules, health challenges. There are all sorts of reasons why we want to not change our clocks twice a year."
The law can only take effect in Colorado if:
- a federal law is enacted that allows states to remain on daylight saving time year-round
- at least four other states in mountain time choose year-round daylight saving time
"The surrounding states have already passed laws saying that when Congress lets them, they will go to year-round daylight time, so really right now we're just waiting on Congress," said Bridges.
Bridges also brought up the challenges Denver International Airport could face if Colorado moved to daylight saving time year-round and other states don't. He said it would have negative impacts on flights and the times people depart or arrive.
