Missourians could soon be freed from the dreaded and laborious practice of changing their clocks twice a year.
That鈥檚 because the Missouri House Wednesday to a bill that would permanently put the state at daylight saving time if three of eight bordering states follow suit. In the year the three bordering states follow suit, each state would switch clocks to daylight saving for the last time. Then the time formerly known as daylight saving time will become standard time.
It鈥檚 a move that proponents say provides a boost for outdoor businesses and removes an annoying responsibility.
鈥淲e鈥檇 be the 24th state waiting to eliminate time change twice a year, back and forth,鈥� said Rep. Chris Sander, R-Lone Jack, who sponsored the legislation.
The most common argument heard during debate on the legislation was convenience. Many proponents of the move stressed that they detested having to change their clocks twice a year and would prefer to just stay in one time all the time.
鈥淓ither one or the other, I don鈥檛 like to change my clock,鈥� said Rep. Tim Taylor, R-Cooper County. 鈥淢y wife has a clock that changes automatically on the wrong day now. And we just need to go to one time.鈥�
Backers of the legislation also said that the original purpose of changing time twice a year, to help farmers, has long run its course.
鈥淲e get up with the sun and we go to bed with the sun,鈥� said Rep. Don Rone, R-New Madrid County, who is a farmer. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 not going to affect farmers at all.鈥�
But detractors said there could be unintended consequences, especially for children.
鈥淚f you go to daylight saving time year-round, students would be in darkness when being picked up at the bus stop in the morning, if I understand it correctly,鈥� said Rep. Trish Gunby, D-St. Louis County.
Rep. Barbara Phfier, D-Kirkwood, noted that the She said that the people that tracked energy consumption found that 鈥渨e actually consumed 3% more in energy costs over that winter.鈥�
鈥淚t was not very popular, as a matter of fact,鈥� Phifer said. 鈥淭here was a hue and cry over that.鈥�
Sander鈥檚 bill still needs another vote in the House before heading to the Senate.
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