Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of advancing clocks one hour during summer months so evenings have more daylight and mornings have less. Kansas first adopted DST in 1967. However, following and implementing the uniform DST rules since then has been inconsistent due to conflicting federal and state policies. This results in confusion among Kansas residents about details like start and end dates annually. Recent legislative initiatives have aimed to end this confusion.
History of DST in Kansas
Kansas first observed DST in 1967 when the Uniform Time Act set standardized DST across the US. From 1967 to 1987, the federal law dictated DST start and end dates that Kansas followed. When federal DST rules changed in 1987, Kansas opted out and created its own DST rules instead for two years. This caused confusion until Kansas rejoined the federal DST system in 1989.
1987-1989 – Inconsistent State Rules
From 1987-1989 Kansas set its own DST rules. This created difficulties for commerce, broadcasting, and transportation across state lines. As neighbouring states followed the federal Uniform Time Act, Kansas had a different schedule. After two years Kansas reverted to following the federal DST calendar.
2005 – Kansas Opts Out Again
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the federal DST period by four weeks. Other states accepted the change. However, Kansas again opted out after complaints from schools and parents about early dark mornings. From 2006-2007 Kansas observed the pre-2005 federal DST calendar while other states followed the updated DST period.
2010 – Matching Neighboring States
In 2010, Kansas legislators passed a bill conforming Kansas DST rules to neighbouring states again. This aligned Kansas with the federally mandated period of DST second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. Kansas has followed this uniform DST calendar since 2010.
Recent Kansas Attempts to End DST
Despite using the federally approved DST period since 2010, there have been recent efforts in Kansas to stop observing DST altogether.
In 2017 and 2018, legislation was unsuccessfully introduced to exempt Kansas from DST. The reasons given were health impacts from time changes, inconvenience for agriculture sectors, and unnecessary government regulation.
2021 Bill Passes Senate – Vetoed by Governor
In 2021 Senator Baumgardner introduced a bill approved by the Kansas Senate to permanently keep Kansas on Standard Time without DST. However, the bill was vetoed by Governor Kelly over concerns about the economic impact if the Kansas time zone was different than neighboring states.
2023 – New Legislation Introduced
As of 2023, Kansas legislatures have introduced new bills to end DST and adopt year-round standard time instead:
- House Bill 2039
- Senate Bill 55
These are pending votes in the legislature and would require approval by the governor. Similar bills have failed or been vetoed before due to commerce concerns.
DST Impact on Kansas Life
DST affects various aspects of life, industry and commerce in Kansas. The biannual one-hour change can disrupt agriculture, schools, and health among others when out of sync with neighboring states.
Impact on Agriculture Industry
- Farmers must adapt schedules based on time change
- Livestock feeding, and milking times disrupted
- Hour shift impacts crop harvesting periods
Impact on Schools
- Students struggle with biannual school routine disruptions
- Earlier sunrise disrupts sleep cycles
- Potential safety issues for students commuting early in the dark
Impact on Health
- Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in the first week after DST start
- Higher incidence of workplace injuries, traffic fatalities
- More migraine headaches reported
Impact on Commerce & Transportation
- Potential lost revenue if Kansas DST period differs from other states if bills pass
- Airports, railways, and interstate trucking routes must follow federal time
- Broadcast companies operate on federal time zone rules
Recent Efforts by States to Standardize
Currently, 19 states have passed legislation or resolutions to make DST permanent if Congress allows states to observe year-round standard time. The basis is to eliminate the biannual clock change.
States that Have Passed Permanent DST Bills
| State | Bill |
|---|---|
| Alabama | SB190 |
| Arkansas | HB1641 |
| Delaware | HD385 / SD117 |
| Florida | SB104 / HB61 |
| Georgia | SR675 |
| Idaho | H0354 |
| Louisiana | HB430 |
| Maine | HP1207 / LD1707 |
| Minnesota | HF1640 |
| Mississippi | SB2518 |
| Montana | HB208 |
| Ohio | HB219 |
| Oregon | HB2486 |
| South Carolina | H4925 |
| Tennessee | SB1000 |
| Utah | HJR4 |
| Washington | SB5139 |
| Wyoming | HB99 |
Conclusion
DST has had an inconsistent history in Kansas with a series of opt-outs between 1967-2010 causing confusion. Despite current compliance with federal time rules, there are still biannual disruptions that impact schools, health, agriculture and transportation sectors in Kansas. Recent legislative efforts signal a willingness to eliminate clock changes. However economic concerns persist about having different time zones than neighboring states. There is an emerging consensus nationally to evaluate whether DST still serves its intended purpose.
