Measure aims to end daylight saving time in Washington

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A state senator is pushing to eliminate daylight saving time in Washington.

KOMO reported Republican Jim Honeyford of Sunnyside has introduced a measure that would exercise Washington’s right under the Uniform Time Act to opt out of daylight saving time and remain on Pacific Standard Time year round.

“I didn’t really realize the problems that it creates,” Honeyford said. “There’s an increased number of accidents, increased suicides, heart attacks.”

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission and Washington Department of Transportation could not provide crash comparison figures in time for the article. But, at a Senate Hearing on Wednesday, nobody testified for or against Honeyford’s bill.

A persuasive argument for daylight saving time has been made in the past by by the agricultural industry, claiming the switch would be an economic benefit. Honeyford, a farmer for 20 years, isn’t buy it.

“I think that it was a myth that it was designed for agriculture,” Honeyford said. “I believe that it’s out lived it’s use.”

In 2015, a similar bill in both the Senate and House failed to move out of their respective committees and was never voted on by lawmakers.

Oregon has tried too, but failed to pass a bill in 2015 and a signature campaign failed to qualify an initiative for the ballot.

Daylight Saving Time begins March 12.