Daylight Saving Time discussion as Prop 7 passage may lead to Daylight Saving removal

Daylight Saving Time’s end is fast approaching with Central Coast residents anticipating yet another hour time change early in November.

“I’d rather get rid of it,” says Susan Dunn and Katherine Taylor–almost in unison while taking in the sights and sounds of Monterey.

Currently, Arizona and Hawaii are the two states which do not observe Daylight Saving Time.

Prop 7 is what’s breeding the discussion on Daylight Saving Time in California, once again.

If approved by voters, state lawmakers will then be allowed to decide whether to move to a permanent time system or not. That, of course, would be a vote for another day.

Some Central Coast residents feel California should stick with one time throughout the year for a variety of reasons. Some are job-related, like one Eric Lin brought up.

“As a programmer it causes issues in terms of how we write software for people across different time zones,” Lin says.

Those who wish to keep the Daylight Saving system cite safety issues as they fear kids would be going to and from school at darker hours of the day during certain times of the year.

Some residents told KION they just flat out feel there are far more important issues the state should be dealing with.

Nonetheless, the residents we talked to on camera say a change to the system would be just fine.

“I understand why they adapted it in the first place but…I just think the time should stay the same. It’s less confusing for everybody.”

Those in favor of Prop 7 and the high potential for removing Daylight Saving Time have cited a few health-related studies.

A 2012 study found the risk for heart attacks increases by 10% in the two days following a time change.

In 2016, stroke risks were found to increase by 8 percent when we change our clocks.

Cancer patients in particular see their stroke risk go up by 25 percent.