Clocks to ‘fall back’ for daylight saving time within weeks

The days will start getting darker sooner when folks set their clocks back on Sunday, Nov. 3. No matter what your opinions on the practice may be, at least this “falling back” of time means we’ll all be treated to an extra hour of sleep.

However, Pennsylvania residents may soon no longer abide by daylight saving time rules. PennLive previously reported in April 2021 how the state House of Representatives passed a bill in a 103-98 vote that would do away with the practice all together and, therefore, make daylight saving time permanent.

But what would be the point of doing so? Well, the same PennLive article explained that various studies show how a permanent daylight saving time has a series of benefits such as saving energy, reducing traffic crashes, decreasing crime, and generally leading to healthier lifestyles across populations.

“In the future, I think this is a very positive reform for Pennsylvania, changing time twice a year is incredibly inefficient and an outside practice,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh County, to PennLive.

“I think there is a movement afoot to go toward some type of permanent time and I want to be a part of that.”

Not that this idea is unique to Pennsylvania: The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) — which “represents the legislatures in the states, territories and commonwealths of the US” in order to “advance the effectiveness, independence and integrity of legislature,” According to its about page — states that there’s been at least 650 bills and motions in recent years to establish a year-round daylight saving time across the country.

So, until that day a law is passed saying otherwise, daylight saving time is still set to end this year on that Sunday, Nov. 3.