As daylight saving time approaches, bringing the annual ritual of moving clocks forward, New York State Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara is advocating for the adoption of daylight saving time throughout the year. Santabarbara, a Democrat from Rotterdam, has been working for several years to end the twice-yearly clock change. Despite his efforts, a bill proposing to make daylight saving time permanent in New York—contingent on similar actions by neighboring states—failed to pass last year.
Santabarbara argues that a permanent shift to daylight saving time could yield numerous benefits, such as improved public health, energy savings, and economic growth. He encourages ongoing dialogue and community engagement on the issue, hoping for increased support and a decision in the near future.
The debate over ending the practice of changing clocks biannually has gained momentum nationwide, with nineteen states passing measures for year-round daylight saving time in the past five years. Although the U.S. Senate approved the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022 to establish daylight saving time permanently, it stalled in the House of Representatives.
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