Legislation in the Missouri House would permanently adopt Daylight Saving Time as the new standard time, but only if 20 other states also agree to do so.
The bill would create a pact with other states to, quote, “eliminate” Daylight Saving Time by renaming it the new “Standard Time.” And once 20 or more states join the pact, they’ll spring forward one hour and permanently remain there. It’s sponsored by GOP House Member Delus Johnson of St. Joseph.
“The only question I had on this are that children are gonna be at bus stops in the dark? The majority of accidents that have occurred at bus stops occur in the daytime between 3-o-clock and 4-o-clock in the afternoon,” Johnson said.
Johnson says the bill would help Missouri’s economy.
“In the fall, it’s going to incite more tourism. People are gonna be able to travel a little bit later in the day with sunlight,” Johnson said. “It’s gonna spur a little bit more economic development with that extra sunlight where people are out visiting retail hours, and then when it’s been in effect for a year we’ll see the same effect the following spring when we still have sunlight earlier in the year, instead of having to change our clocks.”
The bill is scheduled for a State House committee vote this week.
