INDIANAPOLIS — A bill passed this week in the U.S. Senate would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
It's been a popular debate in Indiana, but some health experts have concerns.
"The time in which we're making that transition from standard time and daylight saving time, we generally observe a number of medical and psychiatric conditions," Dr. Alon Avidan, a professor in the UCLA Department of Neurology, said.
Dr. Avidan says issues that arise when springing forward include doctors making more medical mistakes, more deadly heart issues and an increased risk of depression and suicide. He says for some, those issues don't go away for as long as daylight saving time occurs.
Other experts, like David Reich with the National Road and Safety Foundation, say because we lose an hour of sleep and it's darker in the morning, there could be an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes.
If the law were in effect for Christmas 2022, the sun wouldn't rise until 9:04 a.m. If passed and signed by President Joe Biden, the new law would take effect in November 2023 to give time for industries to adjust.
"We need more data, and because we don't have data, I don't think you can make legislation that is very rigid," Dr. Avidan said.
Currently, Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states that don't observe Daylight Saving Time.
-
State cites Westfield daycare for not reporting suspected child abuse incident
The state has cited KinderCare, located on Gunther Road, for not reporting a suspected child abuse incident that happened in December 2023.NFL Scouting Combine to remain in Indianapolis through 2026
The 2024 NFL Combine generated a record-setting $9.26 million while attracting over 27,000 fans. Indianapolis has hosted the combine since 1987.AG Rokita sues Hubbard Gardens Apartments for dire living conditions
WRTV first visited Hubbard Gardens Apartments in Sept. where residents told us they had been living with raw sewage coming out of their sinks for over a month.Deputy Prosecutor fired for social media posts after presidential election
The Hancock County Prosecutor has fired one of his deputy prosecutors for Facebook posts she made saying Trump supporters “disgust” her and comparing them to Nazis.