Spokane Valley Senator Mike Padden has had enough of the twice-yearly time switch.
He says he’ll ask his colleagues in January to approve legislation to move Washington to Standard Time year round.
Four years ago, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill introduced by Spokane Democratic Rep. Marcus Riccelli to put Washington permanently in Daylight Savings Time. But that was dependent on Congress acting to enable states to make the switch. The U.S. Senate voted unanimously in 2022 to make Daylight Savings Time permanent, but the U.S. House didn’t act.
The law does allow states to move to Standard Time without federal approval.
Padden says this isn't his first choice.
“I probably prefer Daylight [Savings Time] a little bit but Standard has its advantages. I think, health wise, Standard might be a little better. We’ve seen an increase in cardiac cases every time you change, either spring forward or fall back," he said.
Padden says he will introduce the option that eliminates the “Spring Forward, Fall Back” change. He’s hoping Oregon and California will do the same.
“If we could get the entire Pacific time zone all on Standard Time, I think that would be great for business and commerce and everyday dealings with folks in those states," he said.
Oregon state Senator Kim Thatcher says she plans introduce a bill to move her state to Standard Time. Padden says they’re also talking with legislators in California about the potential for legislation there.
