New Bill Would Abolish Time Changes in Oregon, Keep Daylight Saving Time Year-Round

If dark winter skies at 4:30 pm depress you, here's some good news: Oregon legislators are proposing a bill that would do away with time changes.

SB 320 would abolish "annual one-hour change in time from standard time to daylight saving time and maintain Oregon on daylight saving time."

If approved, the bill would go into effect at 2 am on Nov. 7, 2021. In short: there would be no more springing forward or falling back.

The bill—which is sponsored by Sen. Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer), Rep. Bill Post (R-Keizer) and Rep. John Lively (D-Springfield)—adds to legislation being considered in Washington and California.

Sen. Thatcher, Rep. Post and Rep. Lively could not immediately be reached for comment on their support for the time change abolishment.

In November, Californians voted to approve a proposition to stay on daylight savings time year round. State legislators must still approve the law change.

A measure being considered in Washington, SB 5139, says the state "would benefit from the consistency and predictability of observing a standard time throughout the calendar year."

It continues: "Research has shown that changing to and from daylight saving time twice per year has negative impacts on public health, increases traffic accidents and crime, disrupts agriculture scheduling, and hinders economic growth. Scientific studies have connected a number of health consequences with the act of switching between standard time and daylight saving time, including greater risks of heart attacks, more frequent workplace injuries, and increased suicide rates in the days immediately following the switch."