When 2019 Daylight Saving Time Ends In CA

CALIFORNIA —Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, Nov. 3, in California, which means earlier sunsets and shorter afternoons.

But what about Proposition 7? Last November, California voters approved the ballot measure to stay on Daylight Saving Time all year long. But the measure only instructed the legislature to act on the time change, and it did not.

Here's the ballot wording for Prop 7: ""CONFORMS CALIFORNIA DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME TO FEDERAL LAW. ALLOWS LEGISLATURE TO CHANGE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERIOD. LEGISLATIVE STATUTE. Gives Legislature ability to change daylight saving time period by two-thirds vote, if changes are consistent with federal law."

Assemblyman Kansen Chu of San Jose introduced AB 7, which would put us on permanent Daylight Saving Time once we receive federal recognition. It passed the Assembly in May, but stalled in the Senate. Chu announced in September that he is making the bill two-year legislation, and aims to try again next year to pass the Senate.

Bottom line, this year we fall-back again.

The time change officially takes place at 2 a.m., but you don’t necessarily have to move the big hand on your clock behind an hour. The change is automatic for most smartphones, computers, tablets and other digital devices.

If you’re still using an analog alarm clock, you’ll most likely want to move it back before you go to sleep on Saturday, or when you wake up the next morning.

Not every state follows Daylight Saving Time. Most of Arizona and Hawaii, along with some U.S. territories, adhere to standard time all year long, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

Brief History of Daylight Saving Time

Ben Franklin is credited by many for being the first person to propose the concept of Daylight Saving Time centuries before it was implemented. The more modern variation of the practice, though, reportedly comes from an entomologist from New Zealand named George Hudson.

In 1895, Hudson proposed a two-hour time shift so he’d have additional daylight to go bug hunting in the summer, according to National Geographic.

The practice of Daylight Saving Time has been used sporadically in the United States since World War I. However, it took until 1966 for Congress to establish the Uniform Time Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson and federally declaring Daylight Saving Time to begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October.

The Dangers of Time Change

Longer nights mean more potential for drowsy driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research shows drowsy-driving crashes most frequently occur between midnight and 6 a.m., or in the late-afternoon.

The evening rush hour is already a dangerous time because the roads are crowded and drivers are eager to get home. With the dusk coming an hour earlier, be extra patient, stay in your lane and keep an eye out for drivers who are darting in and out of traffic.

Patch editor Gus Saltonstall contributed to this article