Ray Harwood is fascinated by time. The Arizona resident is one of a few hobbyists who have been tracking the movement across the country to abolish daylight saving time, or keep it year-round.
Jen Fifield, The Pew Charitable Trusts
As some U.S. states consider ending daylight saving time, the European Union is also reviewing whether European countries should lock their clocks for good.
Members of the European Parliament passed a resolution late last week that calls on the European Commission, the European Union’s executive branch, to thoroughly assess whether it makes sense to change clocks twice a year.
In recent years, U.S. states have considered similar changes — lawmakers have proposed either ending daylight time, or staying on that schedule year-round. The movement seemed to be gaining momentum last year. But while some states have passed resolutions asking the federal government permission to change time zones or change federal law, no state has yet to make any changes.
Under European Union law, EU member states change clocks twice a year, on about the same schedule as the U.S. All U.S. states, except for Arizona and Hawaii, move clocks ahead on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November. European countries move clocks ahead on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October.
Members of the Parliament who supported the resolution cited numerous studies indicating that the biannual time change has negative health effects. Similar concerns have been posed by state lawmakers in the U.S.
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