The push to keep Nevada's clocks from bouncing back and forth each year has gained traction as the Nevada Assembly voted 27-15 in favor of the "Lock the Clock" Act, which would cement the state in permanent standard time starting in 2026, this action was reported by News 3 LV. Assembly Bill 81, sponsored by Assemblywoman Selena La Rue Hatch, D-Washoe County, is now heading to the Senate after passing the Assembly on Thursday, it would break the state free from the twice-annual ritual of adjusting to daylight saving time if the Legislature approves and the governor signs off.
Despite varied opinions within the legislative body, including concerns from rural constituents who are not eager to rise with the early dawn or retire with sundown, and proponents of remaining on daylight saving time year-round, the bill has garnered bipartisan support with both Republican and Democratic co-sponsors. Opponents of the bill who voted no, such as Democrats Tracy Brown May, Selena Torres-Fossett, and Howard Watts from Clark County, argued in favor of permanent daylight saving time, though it is not currently a federal option, which the bill's support and its critics acknowledge is the practical barrier at the heart of this debate, they voiced their position during the Assembly discussion according to details from KTNV.
La Rue Hatch has advocated for the bill citing health and safety, referring to statistics that underscore an escalation in car accidents, heart attacks, and strokes following a time change, she described the bill by saying "This is a bill which will save lives. That is what we are talking about," in a statement obtained by KTNV. Her remarks on the Assembly floor emphasized the very real dangers correlated with the act of changing clocks, driving home her point with a stark simplicity.
If Nevada commits to year-round standard time, it will join Arizona and Hawaii in opting out of daylight saving time, diverging from the 30 states including neighboring California where legislation is pending on the matter. The National Conference of State Legislatures notes that even though 17 states have passed laws or resolutions advocating for permanent daylight time, federal law has not yet granted permission, thus Nevada's bill stands as a potential precursor to a larger discussion on how Americans interact with time in their daily lives, they are looking at a possible landscape where the rhythm of the day is not subject to legislative, but rather celestial, dictates, as long as the Senate concurs, and the governor gives his signature, according to KTNV.
