Time to end Daylight Savings Time

February 2, 2017

An open letter to Senator Shawn Keough There is currently a bill pending in the Washington State Legislature sponsored by seven state senators to end Daylight Savings Time in Washington state. This has a high likelihood of passing. In the event it does, I propose that we pass legislation in Idaho that follows. Years ago, when northern Idaho was more inextricably tied to the business and commerce of eastern Washington state, this was part of the rationale for us being in the Pacific Time Zone. That made sense, but it fails to take in consideration our average meridian location. When you compare the sunrise/sunset times of northern Idaho in the Pacific Time Zone to other locales in the nation relative to their time zones, we get lighter and darker earlier than most of our counterparts in the rest of the country located at the some latitude. Currently, we get dark at Winter Solstice at a few minutes before 4 p.m. PST. If Washington state ends Daylight Savings Time, we will be one-hour later than them in the summer season. This will lead to confusion twice every year at time change affecting cross-border appointments and commerce. Attitudes across the country reflect growing opposition towards the semi-annual time changes, so it is likely that Washington's bill is a sign of more to come. What I propose for Idaho is slightly different in terms of legislation. I suggest that a bill be introduced to place all of the state of Idaho in the Mountain Time Zone and ending Daylight Savings Time in the summer. This would give northern Idaho a half-season "correction" in terms of sunrise/sunset times while enabling us to have a full day of intrastate business interaction and ending the inconvenience of the semi-annual time change. Southern Idaho would merely be spared the inconvenience of the semi-annual time change. I ask you to pass this proposal on to State Representatives Heather Scott and Sage Dixon. Your collective consideration would probably fall on mostly-sympathetic ears throughout the state of Idaho. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Gerald B. Higgs Bonners Ferry