California Legislature Moves Forward With Plans To Keep Year-Round Daylight Saving Time

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Now that Proposition 7 passed, which allows the legislature to keep Daylight Saving Time year-round, lawmakers are moving forward with plans to do away with standard time.

Assemblymembers Kansen Chu (D-25th District), Lorena Gonzalez (D-80th District) and Jay Obernolte (R-33rd District) introduced Assembly Bill 7 on Monday. If passed, it would set California's standard time to year-round daylight saving time. Before the law takes effect it would need to be authorized by the federal government.

If that happens, the bill states:

"Effective immediately after federal law authorizes the state to apply year-round daylight saving time, the standard time within the state shall advance by one hour commencing at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of the March following the effective date of the federal authorization. Subsequently, notwithstanding subdivision (b), the daylight saving time period will not end and will apply year-round."

AB 7 would need a vote of two-thirds majority.

Proposition 7 passed in November 59.8%-40.2%.

The proposition's supporters pointed to a study showing an increased risk of car accidents and heart attacks following the spring change, due to the loss of an hour's sleep.

Opponents of the proposition argued that even if California voters and the Legislature approve of year-round daylight saving, the hurdle of getting the federal government to approve is too high, considering the state's tense relationship with Washington. They also say the switch will cause its own headaches. If California goes to year-round daylight saving, the sun wouldn't rise until 8 a.m. during some winter months, forcing children to walk to school or buses in darkness and likely leading to an increase in car and pedestrian accidents.

Hawaii and Arizona, with the exception of the latter state's Navajo Nation, do not recognize daylight saving time. In March, Florida became the first state in the nation to adopt year-round daylight saving time, but the shift can't take effect unless Congress changes federal law.