time change Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Washington State Lawmakers Propose Year-Round Standard Time To Get Around Congress

By Tom Banse January 13, 2022

Many people say they hate the twice-yearly time change. But is settling on permanent standard time or year-round daylight time the better solution?

Washington state senators are trying a new gambit to stop the twice-yearly ritual of changing our clocks from standard time to daylight time and back again. A previous effort to move the whole West Coast onto permanent daylight saving time failed to win requisite congressional support. So now, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers is pushing for Pacific Standard Time to be Read More

Sorry, Northwesterners. You Still Have To ‘Spring Forward’ This Weekend Despite State Votes To Stop

By Tom Banse March 12, 2021

File photo. A loosely coordinated effort is gaining steam to get all West Coast states to synchronize their clocks to year-round daylight saving time. CREDIT: HENRIQUE SIMPLICIO / FLICKR PHOTO HTTPS://FLIC.KR/P/F1JXBL

Residents of the Northwest will have to set their clocks ahead by an hour this weekend to move onto daylight saving time. The Oregon and Washington legislatures voted nearly two years ago to stay on daylight time year-round -- joined later by Idaho and British Columbia -- but still the biannual time change ritual and associated grumbling persists.Read More

It’s Time To ‘Fall Back’ Again, Despite Northwest States’ Lawmakers Voting To Stop The Clock

By Tom Banse October 29, 2020

No more changing of clocks like this one in Seattle's Lake Union Park if Congress OKs Washington's permanent move to daylight saving time. CREDIT: GIL AEGERTER/KUOW

Last year, the Oregon and Washington legislatures voted to observe daylight saving time year-round. Earlier this year, the Idaho Legislature voted to link the northern portion of Idaho, which follows Pacific time, to whatever time observance that Washington state follows. But we'll change our clocks this weekend anyway because Congress hasn't acted.Read More

What Time Is It Here? That Question Could Surface In Border Towns Thanks To Idaho Legislature

By Tom Banse January 29, 2020

"What time is it here?" is a question few people feel the need to ask when crossing state lines in the Northwest. But a committee vote Wednesday in the Idaho Legislature raises the possibility that border cities in the Inland Northwest may observe time differently than their close neighbors as soon as next year.Read More

Clocks Change Again Sunday. But, Hey, Didn’t State Lawmakers Vote To Do Away With That?

By Tom Banse November 1, 2019

Earlier this year, the Washington and Oregon legislatures voted by wide margins to ditch the twice-yearly time switch. Oregon's move is contingent on California getting on board too, which won't happen until next year at the earliest.Read More

Push For Permanent Daylight Saving Time Gets Nudge From British Columbia Residents

By Tom Banse September 11, 2019

The movement to “ditch the switch” — the twice-yearly ritual of changing our clocks between daylight and standard time — just got a push from British Columbia, where residents signaled they are keen to join Washington state and Oregon on permanent daylight saving time.Read More

Oregon Joins Washington In Passing Bill For Permanent Daylight Saving Time

By Lauren Dake June 7, 2019

Oregon lawmakers approved a measure on Thursday that could allow the state to adopt daylight saving time year-round. Washington legislators approved the change this year. In California, voters have approved year-round daylight saving time, but legislators have not signed off yet.Read More

Washington Becomes First West Coast State Ready To Ditch Twice-Yearly Time Changes

By Tom Banse May 8, 2019

With the stroke of the governor's pen Wednesday, Washington officially became the first West Coast state to ditch the twice-yearly time switch. But the end of "spring forward-fall back" won't happen until Congress gives the green light to all of the states moving toward year-round daylight saving time.Read More

Washington Legislature Votes To End Twice-Yearly Time Changes (Your Move, Oregon)

By Tom Banse April 16, 2019

Changing the clock for the first Daylight Saving Time in 1918. CREDIT: U.S. SENATE HISTORICAL OFFICE

A measure to adopt daylight saving time all year-round is now one small step away from the desk of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. The same issue is still chugging along in the Oregon and California legislatures as part of a loosely coordinated movement to dispense with the unpopular ritual of springing forward and falling back.Read More

Washington Lawmakers Vote For Year-Round Daylight Saving Time. But It’s Far From A Done Deal

By Tom Banse March 10, 2019

Seattle area sunset picture at the beach

The Washington House of Representatives voted 89 to 7 Saturday in favor of observing daylight saving time year-round. The state Senate is expected to vote in the coming days on the issue, which is gaining steam in statehouses across the West. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has not yet signaled where he stands on the measures.Read More

Dread The Dark? West Coast Lawmakers Say It’s Time To Stop The Clock ‘Fall Back’ Routine

By Tom Banse November 20, 2018

According to some Oregon and Washington legislators, it's high time to get rid of the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks. This past month, 60 percent of California voters approved Proposition 7, a ballot proposition to make daylight saving time permanent. Read More