While most of you will go to Daylight Saving Time (DST) this weekend, Hawaii will not. Hawaii has never observed daylight saving time under the Uniform Time Act.
Hawaii opted out of Daylight Saving Time 50+ years ago.
Having said no to DST a half-century ago, Hawaii is still waiting for the rest of the county and the rest of the world to eliminate this practice of changing time. Hawaii once tried DST back in 1933, but only for three weeks. On April 26, 1933, the Territorial Legislature passed a bill that placed Hawaii on DST from the last Sunday of April all the way to September’s last Sunday. On May 21, 1933, three weeks after passing the law, the law was revoked. It was in effect again during World War II, when it was called Hawaiian War Time. Hawaii officially opted out of the Uniform Time Act in 1967.
Until this fall, Hawaii will be 3 hours earlier than the west coast.
And the east coast will be 6 hours later than Hawaii. Mountain states are 4 hours later, and central states are 5 hours.
Question: Why has Hawaii never adopted Daylight Savings Time?
Answer: First and foremost, Hawaii’s sunrise and sunset times do not vary much.
Being much further south than any of the mainland states and at a latitude close to Mexico City, there’s no significant advantage to daylight savings in Hawaii. The concept of daylight savings was, in theory, that it adjusts the time to make use of available natural light. With Hawaii near the equator, sunrise and sunset time don’t vary nearly as much as is the case further to the north. Read on as to whether this theory even holds water.
The other U.S. locations and territories that do not have daylight savings are:
- Arizona (most of the state)
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- United States Virgin Islands
Except for Arizona, the above locations are in a similar situation to Hawaii in terms of latitude. Arizona unsuccessfully tried daylight savings in the 1960s before opting out.
Why daylight savings time?
Daylight savings started in the U.S. more than one hundred years ago, in 1918, during World War I. While the stated reason was to benefit farmers and save fuel, it is now largely believed that it promoted retail shopping in the evenings with more light. It was also considered beneficial to health since, with longer days, people would spend more time with recreation and sports.
After World War I, Daylight Saving Time was only observed in New York City. That is until 1942, when a national DST policy came into effect. In 1966 the Uniform Time Act said that the U.S. would observe six months of standard time and six months of daylight savings each year.
States had to opt in or out, so cities and counties could no longer decide on DST. Arizona opted out. Since then, the U.S. has moved to the more extended observance of DST, which since 2005 has been eight months each year.
Europe has a similar policy and typically changes between “summertime” and standard time close to when the U.S. changes, but not on the same day. That makes it more challenging yet. Europe will go from standard time to summer time in two weeks.
There is much doubt about whether changing to daylight savings is helpful, and switching back and forth may not continue much longer. Europe could lead in that effort; we’ve heard it may end next year. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that daylight savings changes can throw off sleep schedules and more. That may affect our well-being, judgment, and productivity.
Congress seeks to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide.
Legislation in Congress would make Daylight Saving Time permanent, ending the switching back and forth. It passed the Senate unanimously last year but never made it through the House. It is back on again.
“This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid. Locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support. This Congress, I hope that we can finally get this done.” — Senator Marco Rubio.
The U.S. once tried all-year Daylight Saving Time.
In the 1970s, the US tried year-round daily saving time once due to an energy crisis. That lasted ten months, so it was cut short of the two-year plan.
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Keston w says
Living in Arizona since 2005, it’s great not having to mess with the clock twice a year, the days get longer in the summer and shorter in the winter naturally, Their is no need to make it even darker earlier in the afternoon, Always 3 hours from Hawaii time😍
EVAN says
We should remain on stand time, year around. Kids shouldn’t have to go to school in the dark. This morning, in Dallas, sunrise wasn’t till 0741. On Monday, when the school busses roll kids will be standing on the corners in the dark. Not a safe situation at all.
Melissa B. says
No! Keep it under DST…there are some of us that prefer the extra hour of daylight over it getting dark early!
Tomalee c says
Day light savings time allows me to do things while there is still sunlight. I get off at 6:30 and feel like a vampire. I enjoy yhe extra daylight in the he evening. I can go to the park, and other thingd. It is nice to leave work with the sun still up.
Debby R says
I live in CA…I hate Daylight savings time…there is absolutely no need for it. All you are doing is artificially adjusting ” normal” time.
Angie says
I thank it was a good idea for Hawaii to go all Daylight Savings Time and keep the clocks locked in because they have more sunlight earlier and later than the rest of the rest of the USA. I just hope the rest of the USA catches up. Thanks.
Harold says
I do not like daylight saving time and I worked for farmers yes it’s nice to have the extra hour in the evening but you are not saving any energy in the morning by turning all the lights on and it is not safe for children going to school I the dark
MJ says
First of all, it has to be made clear that only the Northern part of the U.S. benefits from DST, and they Do benefit. Having it permanent one way or another would never make sense for these reasons:
1. Since sunrise changes Markedly in Northern states and they don’t want their kids walking to the school bus stop in the dark, “falling backward” one hour alleviates this issue.
2. They whole “permanent” idea never made sense because it will never compensate for the fact that in the winter Northern states’ days are much shorter. The 70’s attempt was to try to prevent massive use of lighting in businesses at the end of the business day, but it had even More kids going to school in the dark!
3. DST is a good idea for The North. Period.
Paul W. says
I really don’t care which way we go as long as it’s permanent. So let’s fix this the issue, somebody do something instead of sitting around doing nothing.
warchild says
I noticed several times the use of “savings”. Should not the use of saving be used throughout this article?
DB says
DST should absolutely be abolished. It’s just asinine all around. 12:00 is not close to noon, the sun rises too late, and it causes an exaggeration of sunset times with a 3-hour swing between summer and winter in SoCal when it naturally swings 2 hours on its own. If the government is really dead set on making us do things earlier, all they have to do is shift their operating hours to one hour earlier and private enterprise would follow suit. DST is so asinine (along with CA’s government) that high schools in the state were mandated to begin a half hour later this year because kids “had to get up too early.” Talk about a facepalm moment.
Melissa B. says
No! DST should not be abolished! Much prefer having the extra hour of daylight as opposed to it getting dark at 5:30! And besides, I get off work at 5:40 and under standard time, it’s already dark by then…I feel a lot safer walking out to my car when it’s still daylight
JR says
I think again fo be honest that we certainly shoukd Continue Switching Our Clocks Back To Standard Time This Fall and/or just stay on Standard Time instead. Kids need to commute to school in Daylight and not in Darkness/Nighttime. It’s Extremely Dangerous for these kids to commute to school in Darkness and so they need daylight. People’s Schedules will be Totally Screwed Up with The Time and the Darkness and so we all need Daylight for Our Bodies to be Easier. We need to just go Back to Standard Time and stay in Standard Time.
Justin R
Mj says
Justin, you just perfectly described why the Northern states need flexible (changing) DST.
There are much fewer hours of sunlight in December and making it permanent either way would mean kids are either going to or from school in the dark. This is a big deal to parents, especially in the inner city where kids have to walk through dicey neighborhoods. (in December and January sunrise wouldn’t be until after 8am!!! Please check this site:
timeanddate.com/sun/
John M says
I strongly dislike this changing time back and forth. We tried making it permanent in the 70’s as brought out in your article. None of the things that were touted as reasons for going to permanent DST materialized, so it was stopped, again as brought out in tour article. I guess those in Congress now who think it’s a grand idea, either weren’t born then, are too young to remember, or think they’re smarter than those Congressmen from the 70’s. And obviously aren’t smart enough to check out history.
Kenneth says
Where is the logic? You don’t add or lose one minute of daylight by moving a clock. Adjust your routine accordingly.
Adam M says
Too each their own, but as long as NYC and DC run the news cycle I’m happy we mimick it, nothing worse than being off the normal tv times for part of the year. Still have trouble watching morning football in Hawaii, but I’ll keep trying to manage.
Jeff S. says
What I don’t get is why they want to fix Daylight Savings Time as standard time? Just eliminate DST.
Melissa B. says
No! Make DST permanent! A lot of people prefer to have the extra hour of daylight rather than it getting dark early…I don’t get off until 5:40 and under standard time, by the time I get off, it’s already dark…I feel a lot safer walking out to my car when it’s still daylight..
Ernie S. says
Daylight Savings Time should be Abolished, the lies for its existence have long ago been exposed. Going to One Standard or the other across the entire Nation makes for uniformity, except for Time Zones which should remain in force. Both Houses of Congress should act on this to pass the necessary legislation on to the President’s Desk. Hopefully this won’t get screwed up and we can get a restful sleep without worrying about setting clocks back and forth.
SW says
I live in Arizona and Love that we dont change our clocks back/forward!!
(Ps….but grew up in Oregon)
You all should join in!
Mark S says
The simple solution for the mainland is to set their clocks halfway between standard time and saving time and leave them there. Then they get most of the benefits of both times.
There are places in the world whose time zones are not on the hour. Locations that use non standard time zones include India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Newfoundland, Regions of Australia, Venezuela, Nepal, Chatham Islands, and the Marquesas Islands.
Ernie S. says
That would not bring uniformity to the States, including Hawaii, that don’t participate. Adding too much confusion to the situation will just encourage Congress to screw it up worse, remember how that place “works!” A One for All and All for One approach is the only way to solve this issue.
David B says
“This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid.”
I’m in full agreement with Little Marco. I have a work-around. Since time zones are purely a social construct, I will identify as being on Hawaiian time, no matter where I am.
Ernie S. says
I personally prefer the Old Indian (Native American/Indigenous Peoples) way of “Walk About Time. They’re Never Late and Always On Time, when they get there it’s time! No clocks necessary. What amazes me are those who can tell time, typically to within 10 minutes, without seeing a clock or watch of any type, sun dials included. Truly an amazing gift!
Ed K says
Mahalo for a bit of history of DST in Hawaii.
Here in Colorado, I have never understood the trouble of changing the clock 1 hour twice a year. Many of us here go to Vegas or California for a weekend trip and have to adjust to the one hour time change twice in 3 days. Never stops us from going and having a great time.
Being further north, we do have more fluctuations in daylight. I certainly enjoy my 8:30 sunsets in the summer. If we had a 7:30 sunset, sunrise would be at 4:30. I certainly wouldn’t want the sun shining in my bedroom skylight at 4:30. In the Winter, as much as I don’t like the 4:30 sunset on Standard time, if we stayed on DST, the sun would rise at 8:30 am. To me, dealing with a clock change is easier.
Ed
Allen E says
Ed you hit the nail on the head. In 2006, they had the idea to make DST from the 1st Sunday in March to the last Sunday in November. Then someone watered it down to what it is now. In order for safety Standard Time is really only needed December January and February for the schools. Now adays most of the clocks adjust automatically anyway and when daylight time starts just sleep in later. The time change gives people something to complain about. Let’s use the sunlight when needed most.