California may end observance of daylight saving time

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• published: 05 Jul 2016
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RESTRICTIONS: NONE For story suggestions please contact tips@nextanimation.com.tw California may soon join Arizona and Hawaii as the only states without daylight saving time. A bill to end the state’s observance of daylight saving time has cleared its first committee. Assembly Bill 385 needs to gain approval by a two-thirds majority of both houses of the California Legislature and be signed by Governor Jerry Brown. The measure would then be put before the public for a referendum, asking voters whether or not the state should eliminate the practice. Proponents of the bill say that altered summertime hours lead to a higher risk of health issues stemming from interrupted sleep cycles. According to a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 68th Annual Meeting in April, overall rate for stroke was 8 percent higher in the two days after daylight saving time. Cancer victims were 25 percent more likely to have a stroke during that time, and people older than 65 were 20 percent more likely to have a stroke. A study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that the changing of clocks in spring for daylight saving time is associated with a 10 percent increase in risk of heart attacks. Opponents of the bill argue the practice saves energy, which was one of its original intended purposes. A Department of Energy report released in 2008 found that U.S. electricity use was decreased by 0.5 percent for each day of the extended DST, resulting in a savings of 0.03 percent for the year as a whole. Those savings amount to 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours, enough to power about 122,000 average U.S. homes for a year. RUNDOWN SHOWS: 1. Daylight saving time: spring forward 2. Daylight saving time: fall back 3. Hour and sunlight differences 4. Energy savings 5. Health risks 6. Areas that observe daylight saving time VOICEOVER (in English): “Daylight saving time was introduced to conserve energy during wartime. In spring, clocks are turned one hour forward, so that the evening lasts one hour longer without sacrificing normal sunrise times. During the fall, clocks are readjusted back one hour to normal, standard time.” “The practice allows for more natural sunlight hours, thereby reducing the need to use electricity to power lights in the evening.” “Supporters of daylight saving time say the practice conserves energy. A Department of Energy report released in 2008 found that due to daylight saving time, the U.S. saved 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours, enough to power about 122,000 average U.S. homes for a year.” “Opponents of daylight saving time argue that altering clocks lead to greater health risks. Studies show that in the days following daylight saving time, the overall rate for stroke was 8 percent higher. The rate for heart attacks was 10 percent higher. The rates correspond to the effects of sleep deprivation.” “Only 70 countries and 48 states currently observe daylight saving time. Arizona and Hawaii are two states that opt out of daylight saving time.” SOURCES: The Sacramento Bee, Department of Energy, CNN, American Academy of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article83558137.html http://energy.gov/articles/top-8-things-you-didn-t-know-about-daylight-saving-time http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/11/health/daylight-saving-time-health-effects/ https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/1440 https://www.uab.edu/news/focus-on-patient-care/item/2141-heart-attacks-rise-following-daylight-saving-time *** For story suggestions please contact tips@nextanimation.com.tw For technical and editorial support, please contact: Asia: +61 2 93 73 1841 Europe: +44 20 7542 7599 Americas and Latam: +1 800 738 8377 ----------------------------------------­­---------------------------------------­-­---------------- Next Animation Studio’s News Direct service provides daily, high-quality, informative 3D news animations that fill in for missing footage and help viewers understand breaking news stories or in-depth features on science, technology, and health. Sign up for a free trial of News Direct's news animations at http://newsdirect.nextanimation.com.tw/Reuters.aspx To subscribe to News Direct or for more info, please visit: http://newsdirect.nextanimation.com.tw/Index.aspx