Politics & Government
Push To Stop Changing Clocks Twice A Year In MA Moves Ahead
"It's time to stop changing the clocks and provide people with reasonable consistency," Senate President Karen Spilka said.
An effort to put an end to changing the time twice a year moved ahead last week.
"During a session on Thursday, the Senate moved legislation on the topic, S.2157, to the Committee on Rules, where it will receive review before a potential vote on the Senate floor," according to a media release from state Senate President Karen Spilka's office.
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"Twice a year, Massachusetts residents scramble to adjust their routines, deal with disruptions to their kids’ sleep schedules, and have their lives unsettled generally," Spilka said in the release.
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"Every person who spent this week adapting with an hour less sleep or enjoying an afternoon of sunshine should agree," said Spilka, D-Ashland. "It’s time to stop changing the clocks and provide people with reasonable consistency.”
The legislation would move Massachusetts from the Eastern time zone to the Atlantic time zone,a geographical region that keeps standard time and includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Canadian provinces New Brunswick,Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
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“Observing Atlantic Standard Time year-round would decrease energy usage, reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, car accidents, and increase workplace productivity,” state Sen. John F. Keenan,D-Quincy, the sponsor of the legislation, said in the release.
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“Tom Emswiler, a constituent and dedicated expert on time zone policy, brought this issue to my attention," Keenan said. "I’m pleased to see that his advocacy has helped spur action in the Legislature, a promising reminder of how engaged residents can help shed light on new ideas.”
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