Utah! Can We Just Leave The Clock Alone?!?

If you despise the twice yearly changing of the clock ritual that we complain about every time it happens, a southern Utah lawmaker has a bill in the Utah Legislature that might put an end to the practice. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

HB 120 sponsored by Toquerville Republican Representative Joseph Elison and Salt Lake Republican Senator Dan McCay would put an end to the changing of the clocks. The bill was passed by the Utah house on Wednesday by a 52-23 vote. The bill now heads to the Utah Senate where it's passing is anything but assured.

And even is the bill passes, it will no where come close to ending the debate about Daylight Savings Time in the Beehive state. Nor would it necessarily end the changing of the clocks.

When a politician, like President Trump has recently said, wants to “end Daylight Savings Time” we're not exactly sure what they mean.

I think when I hear “end Daylight Savings Time” what many really mean is stop changing the clocks, and others mean end standard time. That's why I think we will continue to have the debate no matter what happens with this bill in the legislature this year.

HB 120 in Utah actually would end Daylight Savings Time, at least for awhile. If enacted, we would move our clocks ahead one hour this coming March, and then next November we would “fall back” one last time, and then in January of 2026, we would remain in Mountain Standard Time from then on. Maybe.

There is a provision in the bill that says,

If federal law is changed to permit Utah to observe mountain daylight time at all times of the year, Utah will, beginning at 2 a.m. on January 1 after the change to federal law takes effect, observe mountain daylight time at all times of the year.

In other words, if the U.S. Congress passes a law allowing (mandating?) Daylight Savings Time on a year round basis, Utah would then “spring forward” (in the dead of winter) on January 1^st of the year following the passage of the federal law providing year round Daylight Savings Time and stay on Daylight Savings Time from then on. Maybe.

I've heard the arguments for both Daylight and Standard Time, and I have to tell you, I've moved over to Team Standard Time. I get that you want that “extra hour” in the summer to enjoy recreation or time to do outside chores. But for me, I'm not all that sanguine about waiting until 9 O'Clock in December to see the sun.

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Will see what comes of this bill and if we will really get some resolution on this issue. It's a kind of meh issue to me. However, if a lawmaker wants to get my support, all they need to do is propose a bill that will actually give me back another hour of sleep every month and I'm all on board.