FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Residents of Arkansas are gearing up to lose an hour of sleep as clocks spring forward on March 10, heralding the onset of daylight saving time.
While daylight saving time promises later sunsets, it also means delayed sunrises. Arkansas joins 48 other states in the practice of adjusting clocks twice a year, with Arizona and Hawaii being the exceptions, as they maintain a consistent time throughout the year.
Despite efforts by Arkansas lawmakers to align the state with this minority, such endeavors have yet to succeed.
Several attempts have been made in recent years:
In February 2019, State Representative Sarah Capp (R-Ozark) introduced House Bill 1368, aiming to adopt year-round standard time and abolish daylight saving time in Arkansas. However, Capp withdrew the bill just 23 days after its filing.
In 2020, Rep. Johnny Rye (R-Trumann) proposed House Bill 1017, which advocated for the opposite approach: year-round daylight saving time, with standard time being phased out. Although the bill received House approval in February 2021 with a vote of 71-24, it failed to progress beyond a Senate committee meeting in October of the same year.
Undeterred, Rye made another attempt in 2022 with House Bill 1039, also advocating for year-round daylight saving time. However, he withdrew the bill a month later.
In 2023, Rep. Stephen Meeks (R-Greenbrier) introduced House Bill 1568, seeking to eliminate daylight saving time and adhere to standard time throughout the year. Yet, the bill was withdrawn just three weeks after its submission.
Another effort in 2023 was undertaken by Rep. R. Scott Richardson (R-Bentonville) and co-sponsored by Rep. Wayne Long (R-Bradford) through House Bill 1104. However, like its predecessors, it was withdrawn approximately two weeks after being filed.
Is standard time preferable to daylight saving time, or is it the other way around?
Well, opinions vary depending on who you ask.
Dr. Beth Malow, the Director of Vanderbilt University’s Sleep Division, emphasized the benefits of staying on permanent standard time throughout the year. Speaking to Nexstar’s WKRN in 2022, she explained, “The healthiest choice would be on permanent standard time all year round. We need our light in the morning to get us going, and if we have too much light in the evening, which is what happens with permanent Daylight Saving, it could interfere with our sleep, and we need to sleep well for our health.”
However, a 2022 CBS News poll revealed a slight preference for daylight saving time over standard time, although the margin wasn’t significant. 46% expressed a preference for daylight saving time year-round, while 33% favored the opposite. Meanwhile, 21% preferred to maintain the current practice of changing the clocks twice a year.
Supporters of daylight saving time cited improved mood, increased productivity later in the day, and energy conservation as reasons for their preference. On the other hand, proponents of standard time argued that it aligns better with humans’ natural biological rhythms, promotes better sleep, and enhances productivity earlier in the day.
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Ultimately, regardless of individual preferences among Arkansans, the tradition of adjusting clocks twice a year seems likely to continue for the foreseeable future.