LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Sunday marks the biannual changing of the clocks to observe daylight saving time, but springing forward may be a thing of the past if a bill pending in the Nevada Legislature passes.
The bill — Assembly Bill 81 — is dubbed "lock the clock." It would keep Nevada on standard time year-round, the same way Arizona and Hawaii are now.
And Nevada isn't alone. According to the National Council of State Legislatures, there are 30 other states considering abandoning daylight saving time, including Nevada's neighbor California.
Keeping Nevada on the same time as California is important, since the Golden State accounts for a big percentage of Nevada's drive-in tourism. Putting Nevada on standard time and California on daylight time for half the year could cause confusion for visitors.
AB 81's author — Assemblywoman Serena La Rue Hatch, D-Washoe County — says there are documented health problems associated with changing the clock.
"We know that in the weeks following the clock change, there are worsened health impacts," said La Rue Hatch, at a February hearing on the bill. "Strokes, heart attacks go up, digestive issues increase, medical outcomes are worsened, and in fact, many health organizations endorse permanent standard time as being more natural, more in line with our circadian rhythm and healthier for our bodies."
The time change proposal has come up in Carson City before, in both bills and resolutions, but it's never passed the full Legislature. But La Rue Hatch says her constituents have talked to hear about the issue repeatedly, which is why she's pushing hard for it this session.
And there's bipartisan support for the idea. State Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus, R-Lyon County, sponsored a bill with the exact same language in the upper house.
AB 81 is the fourth most popular bill for comments in the current session of the Legislature as of Friday, but public opinion is equally divided: 152 people are in favor, with 157 against, and two neutral opinions. You can leave your opinion on the bill on the Legislature's website by clicking on "opinions."
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