Other Views: Whoever Is Elected Tuesday Should Let Washington Have Year-Round Daylight Saving Time

Look on the bright side, Puget Sounders. Though we had to set our clocks back one hour for the gloomy 4 1/2 -month stretch ahead, at least we enjoyed a favorable transition to Pacific Standard Time last weekend — afternoons of glorious sunshine to brighten our days and a rare blue moon to brighten our nights.

Well, you'd better absorb all the natural light you can find, because flipping the "off" switch on Daylight Saving Time is always a challenge around here. Ditching DST in the middle of a pandemic may push some folks even deeper into the doldrums.

You might wonder why Washington is still participating in this spasmodic biannual ritual of springing forward and falling back. Didn't legislators approve a bill last year calling for permanent DST? Indeed, they did, and Gov. Jay Inslee signed it into law 18 months ago. But until Congress and the president take action, the state law is little more than a cry in the dark.

So today we reiterate a plea we made 12 months ago: Let us bask in later daylight on a year-round basis. Federal leaders should respect the will of West Coast states (Washington, Oregon and California) to set our clocks in a way that promotes public safety and individual wellbeing.

Admittedly, this is not one of the most important policy issues that voters are grappling with during election week. But it's a timely conversation for those consuming an extra mug of coffee in the morning or a few extra milligrams of melatonin before bedtime.

The additional disruptions of COVID-19 ought to heighten the sense of urgency. Health experts say this virus and others thrive in the fall and winter when people are cooped up indoors; so why not give us more incentive (i.e., daylight) to go out in the fresh air?

Studies also show that shifting to standard time makes people more prone to mood swings and depression. Seasonal affective disorder is particularly acute for those living at higher latitudes, including denizens of the gray, wet Northwest. Psychologists are concerned about a double or triple whammy this year due to ongoing pandemic shutdowns. Evidence also points to more heart attacks and car wrecks (and more violent crime and less economic activity) after Americans "fall back" each year.

Simply put, we need more stability in our circadian rhythms and tumultuous day-to-day lives.

One of the most hopeful things about this issue is that it doesn't split along partisan lines. The Daylight Act, introduced by a Republican Utah congressman last year, would allow states to observe DST year-round. It has 14 GOP and eight Democrat co-sponsors, including Washington Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor.

On the other side of the US Capitol, Washington Sen. Patty Murray is one of five Democrats who joined eight Republicans to co-sponsor the Sunshine Protection Act. A year ago Murray said she was committed to advancing it; on Monday she told us in a statement that she will keep working "to figure out how we get this across the finish line, either through legislative or regulatory action."

Recently she signed on to a half-measure proposed by Florida senators to extend DST until November 2021. The trial balloon, which would've brightened people's lives during the pandemic, didn't take off.

The fact that no bill has seen daylight in a public hearing room is a telltale example of Washington D.C. gridlock. No matter who's elected this week, they should seek common ground on fairly straightforward issues like this. Having a few successes under their belts could set the stage for cooperation on more complex matters.

Obviously it's too late this year. Puget Sounders are resilient people, and we're already readjusting our body clocks. But if it's OK for Arizona and Hawaii to stick with standard time year round, why shouldn't Washington and 11 other states that adopted permanent Daylight Saving Time laws be allowed to go their own way?

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