Is Daylight Saving Time Ending for Wisconsin?

MADISON, WI — Are lawmakers in Wisconsin going to put an end to Daylight Saving Time?

That's the hope of State Representatives Samantha Kerkman (R-Salem) and Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh) who introduced the "Sunsine Protection Act" in the state legislature this week.

The bill would eliminate daylight saving time in the State of Wisconsin.

“As we look forward to the warmer weather in spring, many of us also dread the loss of an hour of sleep and every year people beg the question, why do we continue to do this?” Kerkman said in a prepared statement.

Daylight Saving Time was originally adopted by Wisconsin in 1960, following a 1957 statewide advisory referendum. Voters at that time approved the measure 54% to 46%. However, it wasn’t until 1966 when daylight saving time was added in to federal law with the “Uniform Time Act.”

Pros and Cons

According to Time and Date.com, here are three benefits of Daylight Saving Time:

• Make better use of natural daylight.
• Conserve energy otherwise spent on artificial light.
• Decrease road accidents by making sure roads are naturally lit during the hours with most traffic.

And while Rep. Kerkman says that reasons abound for the elimination of daylight saving time, it is said to have been done to save energy in war time, and help agriculture practices, but as Rep. Kerkman states, it has resulted in kids walking to school in the dark and much confusion.

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