Michigan Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Get Rid of Daylight Savings Time

One Michigan Lawmaker hopes to end the practice of the time change, spring forward and fall back no more.

State Representative Michele Hoitenga would like to have Michigan stay on the same time schedule all year long.  The lawmaker from Manton has introduced a house bill that would do that very thing. Saying the time change is a total nuisance to workers and students alike and calls the practice of Daylight Savings (DLS) antiquated and impractical. The practice also messes with natural body rhythms and sleep patterns.

You can see a timeline of the History of Daylight Savings here.

Turns out that Benjamin Franklin was not the inventor of Daylight Savings. That honor belongs to a New Zealand scientist. Here is how that timeline goes. A New Zealand scientist came up with the idea in 1895. That plan was spring 2 hours ahead and then 2 hours back, some were very interested in the idea, but it was never put into practice. In 1916 Germany introduced the practice of DLS, one hour ahead one hour back. This was during World War 1, and was to help in the war effort. Benjamin Franklin, according to some scholars, was the first to suggest the seasonal change, but here is the good part, he meant it as a joke.

Those were the first countries to use the practice of DLS, however back in 1908 in Thunder Bay, a few hundred Canadians started using Daylight Savings.

The effort to stop Daylight Savings has grown over the years with well over half of Americans wanting a fixed time with no changes. The practice was put into place in the United States back in 1918. Over the years many of us believed it was put into place for the farmers, but nope, it was to help in the war effort.

Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that currently opt out of the DLS practice.

So Daylight Savings, for or against, you still have to spring forward this weekend. Turn your clocks ahead one hour Sunday March 14th at 2 AM.