Oregon, Washington may move to make DST permanent

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – As daylight saving time is set to take effect in most of the U.S. this weekend, the Washington House has passed a measure that would make those later sunsets permanent in the state all year – if Congress allows it. Oregon is considering a similar move.

The measure passed the chamber on an 89-7 vote Saturday and now heads to the Senate, which has its own bill that could come up for a vote in the coming days. The vote comes as more than two dozen states are considering measures to avoid the twice yearly clock change.

Both the Senate and House measures would only take effect if Congress passes legislation allowing states to observe daylight saving time year-round.

While federal law allows states to opt into standard time permanently – which Hawaii and Arizona have done – the reverse is prohibited and requires congressional action.

Meanwhile, KGW reports a bill to keep daylight saving time permanent in Oregon is set for a hearing and work session next week, just days after the Saturday night “spring forward” time change.

Senate Bill 320 would continue daylight saving time at 2 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2021, with a final decision made by voters in the November 2022 general election.

The bill is on the docket for Tuesday’s meeting of the Senate Committee on Business and General Government at 8:30 a.m.

Last November, California voters approved a ballot initiative to make daylight saving time permanent. That measure must now be approved by the California Legislature.

Any change to daylight saving time must also be approved by Congress, which controls time borders as specified in the Uniform Time Act of 1966.