Alaska Considers Pacific Standard Time

0:00This is Corey, and here's what is making news across Anchorage right now. Alaskans will spring their clocks forward one hour this Sunday for Daylight Saving Time, just like millions across the country. But there's growing pushback against these twice yearly shifts, which studies link to sleep disruptions and health issues. Now, state lawmakers are eyeing a big change to ditch Daylight Saving Time for Good by shifting Alaska to Pacific Standard Time, matching the West. Earlier this month, the Alaska Senate advanced the bill sponsored by Senator Kelly Merrick to make this switch permanent, but only with federal approval. The goal is to avoid the headaches of a two-hour gap, with places like Seattle during parts of the year, which hits bankers, media folks, and tourism. Hard. Folks in Alaska have mixed feelings. Some love the idea of more evening sunlight for outdoor fun after work or school, especially in summer, when sunsets stretch past midnight in. Anchorage. But it means super late winter sun rises around 11 a.m., leaving morning's pitch black.

1:03Alaska has tried over a dozen bills in the last 30 years to end the clock changes, but none pass both chambers. Back in the 1980s, the state simplified from four time zones to one for easier living. Only Hawaii and Arizona skipped Daylight Saving Time nationwide. Meanwhile, the house hasn't touched Merrick's bill yet, and two competing proposals sit either one for permanent Daylight Saving Time, the other for Standard Time. Federal rules let states opt out of the shifts, but block permanent Daylight Saving without Congress, whereas Senate pushed stalled in the house too. Years ago, special thanks to our sponsor for supporting this episode. Relaxed deeper, reset faster, comfort, you can hear S-O-L-I-SOLYPILLOW.com.