The resolution highlights a broad consensus regarding the negative health, economic, and safety effects associated with the clock changes twice each year. Research cited in the resolution points to increased hospital admissions, fatal accidents, and worker injuries during the clock change periods. Moreover, studies indicate that daylight saving time may yield benefits such as decreased robbery rates and increased physical activity associated with longer daylight hours. This nuance underscores the potential welfare enhancements that could arise from adopting a permanent daylight saving time model.
AJR33 is an Assembly Joint Resolution introduced by Assembly Members Chu and Gonzalez that urges the United States Congress and the President to enact legislation allowing states to adopt daylight saving time year-round. The resolution is rooted in California voters' approval of Proposition 7 in the 2018 election, which permits the state legislature to change daylight saving time practices by a two-thirds vote, contingent upon federal authorization. This measure reflects growing dissatisfaction with the biannual clock changes mandated by current federal law under the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
AJR33 serves as a significant political statement reflecting the State of California's desire for more control over its timekeeping practices, following the earlier voter support for Proposition 7. Should the federal government respond favorably to such initiatives, it may open the floodgates for further state-level reforms in time regulation, potentially leading to widespread adoption of similar measures across the nation.
Despite the potential advantages, AJR33 also invites discussion around the regulatory and legislative hurdles that might come with changing the state's approach to daylight saving time. While the resolution calls for action at the federal level, its effectiveness hinges on the willingness of Congress to amend existing federal laws. Furthermore, differing opinions exist about the compatibility of changing timekeeping practices with national and international synchronization efforts, raising questions on the implications for interstate commerce and routine social functions.