Bill To Eliminate Daylight Savings Time Debated in Olympia

The State House Committee on State Government plans a hearing Tuesday to debate a bill to eliminate turning the clocks ahead the first Sunday in November, and turning it back the second Sunday in March in Washington.

The origins of Daylight Savings Time stemmed from the late 1800s, but didn't really gain momentum in the U.S. until World War II.  It was first practiced as an energy savings plan to save electricity to help the war effort. Other supporters felt keeping large cities with fewer lights on also provided greater security against night raids.

According to the website standardtime.com, Daylight Savings Time was not completely standardized until 1966 by Congress. Some parts of Indiana and Arizona do not observe it, and utilize standard time year round.

Opponents of DST argue the decade-old reasons for having it are no longer valid, and it should just be repealed to make life easier. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Elizabeth Scott of Monroe.