SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — 2019 could be the last time Illinoisans ever “fall back.”
The Illinois State Senate voted Tuesday to do away with bi-annual time changes.
The bill, which now heads to the State House of Representatives, would see Illinoisans “spring forward” on March 8th, and then never have to “fall back” again.
State Senator Andy Manar of Bunker Hill said the discussion started when students from his district approached him about the problems time changes can present.
“The arbitrary nature of changing time twice a year has significant impact on health and significant impact on productivity,” he said.
While the bill passed the Senate 44-2, the “nay” votes were not without reason, said State Senator Linda Holmes, who voted no.
“There’s been a lot of medical studies on this, and it says over time, Daylight Savings Time eliminates bright, morning light that’s crucial to synchronizing your biological clock, possibly putting people at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other harmful effects of sleep deprivation,” she said.
If the House passes the bill, the U.S. Congress would still have final say over granting Illinois a waiver to honor the bill’s passage.
Arizona and Hawaii as of 2019 were the only states not to honor Daylight Savings Time.
