Some credit Benjamin Franklin for being the first to suggest a seasonal time change. However, Franklin’s idea in 1784 can hardly be described as fundamental for the development of modern DST. It did not even involve turning the clocks. In a letter to the editor of the Journal of Paris, entitled “An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light,” Franklin suggested that Parisians could economize candle usage by getting people out of bed earlier in the morning. Historians believe Franklin actually meant it as a joke! In 1895 modern Daylight-Saving Time was suggested by George Vernon Hudson who first presented a proposal for a 2-hour daylight saving shift.

Proposals to stay on standard time or move to full-time DST appear on the legislative agenda in the United States every clock change. Since 2015, more than two hundred daylight saving bills and resolutions have been introduced in almost every state across the US, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Several US states have passed bills in favor of permanent DST. However, they need congressional approval to abolish the time change. For this to happen, Congress first must pass a federal law allowing states to observe DST year-round, because today’s law only allows states to forgo DST.

Less than 40% of the countries in the world use DST. Some countries use it to make better use of the natural daylight in the evenings. The difference in light is most noticeable in the areas at a certain distance from Earth’s equator. Some studies show that DST could lead to fewer road accidents and injuries by supplying more daylight during the hours more people use the roads. Other studies claim that people’s health might suffer due to DST changes. DST is also used to reduce the amount of energy needed for artificial lighting during the evening hours. However, many studies disagree about DST’s energy savings, and while some studies show a positive outcome, others do not.

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