SALT LAKE CITY — A bill to move Utah off of Daylight Saving Time won a unanimous vote in a House committee on Wednesday.
House Bill 120, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Elison, R-Toquerville, would switch Utah to permanent standard time with Arizona and Hawaii. Rep. Elison told the House Business & Labor Committee he didn't care whether Utah was on Daylight Saving Time or standard time, but wanted to answer constituents' demands to end the back-and-forth of the clock changing. Staying on permanent Daylight Saving Time would require congressional action on a federal level, while switching to standard time is something Utah can do now.
FOX 13 News first reported on Rep. Elison's bill earlier this month.
Public comment was largely in favor of the bill.
"I'm one of those 80% that says just stop fiddling with the clocks," said Wendy Hart.
Crystal Young said as the mother of children, every time change "is like the end of the universe." Jay Peay with the group Save Standard Time told the committee that the bill is necessary.
"That morning light is important for school children, for commuters, for construction workers, for service personnel. It also helps the ski industry that needs that morning light. Standard time improves that sleep quality and duration," Peay said.
But Ryan Peterson with the Golf Alliance of Utah opposed the bill, arguing that it would hurt golf courses across the state who have afternoon tee times and leagues.
"I know there are a lot of people that might hem and haw that golf may not be that important, but it is important," he said. "It’s an economic driver in the state of Utah. It is important to a lot of residents here."
The bill had the full support of committee and now goes to the House of Representatives for a vote.
