A Virginia legislator said daylight saving time is harmful to physical and mental health and wants a review of whether changing the clocks twice a year should be discontinued.
Republican Virginia Del. Joe McNamara has introduced a resolution that would ask the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to look at the impact of daylight saving and whether moving away from it might be a good idea.
The text of the resolution says that research shows changing the clocks twice a year increases traffic accidents, heart attacks and seasonal affective disorder.
It asks for the study to look at the effect of the commonwealth’s participation in daylight saving time, the consequences of using standard time year-round and the consequences of such a decision.
Most of the U.S. has turned its clocks forward in the spring and back in the fall by an hour since 1966.
The resolution has to be adopted by both houses of the Virginia General Assembly before the request for a study would be sent to the secretary. It also calls for the secretary’s report to be submitted by next January.
