Missouri lawmaker wants daylight saving time to be permanent

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri lawmaker is proposing an amendment to the state constitution that would make daylight saving time permanent, but at least two neighboring states would have to adopt similar measures before the change could go into effect.

Rep. Mike Kelley, a Springfield Republican, said switching between daylight saving time and standard time has been linked to increased heart attacks and accidents and upsets people's sleep patterns, the Jefferson City News Tribune reported.

"The changing back and forth from daylight savings time to standard time, back and forth and back and forth, is an archaic practice that serves no real purpose today," Kelley said.

"It's just a practice that, actually, causes a lot of different problems."

Based on surveys he conducted and articles that came out last year after he first introduced the idea, a majority of people agree with the change, Kelley said.

The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere starts at 10:49 p.m. today, marking the point when the sun hits its most southern point in relation to the Earth.

Monday through Wednesday will have the least amount of sunlight this year at nine hours, 28 minutes and 13 seconds each, according to sunrise-sunset charts.

The latest sunrise occurs at 7:13 a.m. Jan. 3 through Jan. 10 in Cape Girardeau, according to data at SunriseSunset.com.

Kelley's proposed change would mean sunrise comes at 8:13 a.m. on those days, when many people are at or on their way to work or school.

"You're going to have darkness whether the kids are at home, playing, or whether the kids are getting ready to go to school," Kelley said. "One way or the other, they're going to be outside in darkness."

Some in agriculture have been opposed to the change, he said, though others told him their cows and crops don't particularly care either way.

Before the change could go into effect in 2018, at least two neighboring states would have to be persuaded to adopt similar measures.

Kelley said he knows several other states have reached out to his office because of their interest last year.

He said "those will be contacts that will be renewed once again during our upcoming legislative session."