As daylight saving time begins this Sunday, residents of Washington state will once again lose an hour of sleep, despite a legislative attempt made in 2019 to permanently adopt this practice. Although state lawmakers approved a bill to keep daylight saving time year-round and the governor signed the bill into law, the change is currently stalled due to federal regulations. Congress must grant permission for any state to make the shift to permanent daylight saving time, a move that is blocked by existing federal law.
Washington is not alone in feeling the frustration of this annual clock change. Similar sentiments echo in various states that have expressed a desire to escape the biannual time shifts. While states can opt to remain on standard time, as Arizona does, they face limitations when it comes to adopting daylight saving time without federal approval.
In downtown Renton, at Boyd’s Clocks, a family-operated shop in business for over four decades, the anticipation of the time change season is palpable. Brianna Boyd describes the shop as orchestrated chaos, filled with a symphony of ticking clocks. Her mother, Denise Boyd, estimates that their collection spans several thousand clocks.
The clock shop is bracing for a surge in repair requests as many customers will face complications with their timepieces during the transition. Denise notes that springing forward tends to yield fewer clock injuries compared to “falling back,” but the inconvenience still resonates with customers.
Many patrons share a common complaint about losing an hour of sleep each spring. Beverly Winther, a customer, expressed a sentiment that reflects the frustration felt by many locals: “I would just like to have daylight saving time all the time.”
To manage the chaos of multiple clocks, the Boyds take a lighthearted approach, only resetting two clocks in their shop while purposely leaving the rest mismatched for practicality’s sake. As Brianna points out, although they face the slight inconvenience of the time change, there is always a silver lining in the longer evenings that follow.
This ongoing debate regarding daylight saving time highlights a growing desire among the public for more stability in their schedules. It remains to be seen whether federal lawmakers will take steps to align with the wishes of states like Washington, but for now, the rhythm of time continues its dance.