SB 102-ELIMINATE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME  1:48:26 PM CHAIR MERRICK reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 102 "An Act exempting the state from daylight saving time; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR MERRICK invited the chair of the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee and his staff to introduce the committes bill. 1:48:48 PM SENATOR SCOTT KAWASAKI, District P, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, introduced SB 102 on behalf of the Senate State Affairs Committee, as chair. He stated that SB 102 would exempt Alaska from observing daylight saving time. Daylight saving time is traditionally observed between the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November. While Alaska has observed daylight saving time since 1966, SB 102 proposes switching the state to permanent standard time. He said this change would provide mental and physical health benefits, strengthen Alaska's economy, and eliminate the need for residents to change their clocks twice each year. He noted that Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and other U.S. territories have already exempted themselves, and many states, including Washington and Oregon, have introduced similar legislation this year. SENATOR KAWASAKI expressed appreciation to the sponsor of the other bill, related to standard time, for recognizing the health benefits associated with ending daylight saving time. He said the American Academy of Sleep Medicine agrees that switching between standard time and daylight saving time increases risks to physical health, mental health, and public safety. He stated that both permanent standard time and permanent daylight saving time have advantages for Alaska, given its northern location. 1:50:57 PM JOE HAYES, Staff, Senator Scott Kawasaki, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, delivered a presentation on SB 102, on behalf of the Senate State Affairs Committee, Senator Kawasaki, Chair. 1:51:07 PM MR. HAYES moved to slide 2, History of Daylight-Saving Time (DST): [Original punctuation provided.] History of Daylight-Saving Time (DST)  • Germany was first country to implement DST in 1916 • US followed suit but repealed DST a year later • During WWI and WWII many countries temporarily implemented DST • By 1965, time zones were erratic across the US • Extra hour of daylight reduced energy usage of electric lighting and heating • Almost all non-Western countries have since moved to standard time 1:51:56 PM MR. HAYES moved to slide 3, Negative Effects of Changing Clocks: [Original punctuation provided.] Negative Effects of Changing Clocks  • Shifting sleeping hours twice a year disrupts circadian rhythm • Reduces cerebrovascular and cardiovascular health • Increases traffic accidents and workplace injuries • Increases substance abuse and mental health disorders • Circadian Misalignment • American Economic Association estimates social cost of $275 million annually 1:52:30 PM MR. HAYES moved to slide 4, Daylight Saving Time vs Standard Time, the comparison section of the presentation. MR. HAYES moved to slide 5, Daylight Saving Time: [Original punctuation provided.] Daylight Saving Time  • 1974 Energy Crisis • 79 percent approval -> 42 percent approval • Energy is no longer saved • Incandescent Lights • Federal Law • Arizona, Hawaii, 5 US Territories MR. HAYES reviewed the slide, noting that the 1974 energy crisis drove strong public support for daylight saving time. He said public support has since fallen to about 42 percent, in part because of the energy saving impact of modern lighting. He said under federal law, Arizona, Hawaii and 5 U.S. territories switched to standard time. 1:52:58 PM MR. HAYES moved to slide 6, Standard Time: [Original punctuation provided.] Standard Time  • More light in the morning improves physical and mental health • Metabolic disorders, depression, cardiovascular disease risk decrease • Permanent Standard Time is supported by many groups • American Academy of Sleep Medicine • European Sleep Research Society • Centre for Economic Policy Research • Doesn't require congressional amendments 1:53:29 PM MR. HAYES moved to the map graphics on slide 7, depicting how standard time preserves morning light, whereas permanent daylight time makes sunrise too late. 1:53:40 PM MR. HAYES moved to photos on slide 8, comparing morning road visibility in Fairbanks on January 27 under daylight saving time and under standard time. He noted that a graphic on the slide illustrates how standard time aligns more closely with the sun, while daylight saving time forces earlier waking. 1:54:09 PM MR. HAYES read from a March 6 news article, reporting that President Trump would not push for permanent daylight saving time because public opinion is evenly split. He quoted the President, "It's a 50-50 issue and if something is a 50-50 issue it is hard to get excited about it ... I assume people would like to have more light later, but some people want to have more light earlier because they don't want to take their kids to school in the dark. It's something I can do, but a lot of people like it one way. A lot of people like it the other way ... It's very even. And usually I find when that's the case, what else do we have to do?" MR. HAYES expressed his belief that a national bill would not be enacted because the President, who initially supported the idea, had changed his position. 1:55:35 PM SENATOR DUNBAR observed that northern Alaska and even the Interior differ so greatly from the rest of the country that this debate does not even really apply. He said there are parts of the state where the sun goes down in December and does not rise again until January or February. Even the Interior has very long daylight hours in the summer and very long periods of darkness in the winter. He stated that, for him personally, whether there is more daylight in the morning or evening is less significant than the seasonal time change itself. He said, unless he is mistaken, the health effects of the changeover are well categorized and are extremely negatively impactful on Alaska's population. He asked if that was a fair characterization. 1:56:41 PM SENATOR KAWASAKI confirmed that was the case. He stated that multiple studies show the time change itself, whether requiring people to wake earlier and lose sleep or adjusting to the extra evening light, is the most disruptive factor. Because of Alaska's northern latitude, even in Juneau the state is currently gaining five minutes of daylight per day, amounting to a half-hour difference each week. He noted that on Sunday morning it was still fairly dark, yet within a week the change will be barely noticeable. The effect is even more pronounced further north, with Anchorage gaining more daylight than Juneau and Fairbanks gaining about seven minutes per day. He agreed that, due to its geographic position, daylight saving time has minimal impact on Alaska either way. 1:57:59 PM SENATOR DUNBAR observed that, if his math was correct, Fairbanks would gain as much daylight in nine days as it does from the "spring forward" shift of daylight saving time. 1:58:08 PM SENATOR KAWASAKI agreed, noting that nine days at seven additional minutes of daylight per day equals 63 minutes, just over an hour. 1:58:17 PM CHAIR MERRICK thanked the presenters. She said her constituents feel passionately about this issue. 1:58:30 PM SENATOR DUNBAR said it is an exhausting issue. [SB 111 was held in committee.]