Local lawmaker co-sponsoring bill to opt Pennsylvania out of daylight saving time

It’s the moment every fall, many of us dread turning back the clocks as the days grow shorter.

Doctor Joseph Aracri is chair of pediatrics for Allegheny Health Network. He says the time change can take its toll, especially on children.

“There does take some time to adjust to that in your body,” Aracri said, “What we usually find in kids is their behavior might be a little bit off, they might be a little more irritable, maybe a little bit more spastic in the morning and it usually takes about a week to adjust to the new time.”

Now, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants to do away with daylight saving time altogether.

Representative Andrew Kuzma serves parts of Allegheny and Washington counties. He’s co-sponsoring a bill that would opt Pennsylvania out of daylight saving time.

“I classify it as a nuisance. We do not need a nuisance anymore in our Commonwealth,” Kuzma said.

The practice started in Europe as a way to conserve fuel during World War I. Kuzma says it’s no longer needed.

“In the weeks subsequent to daylight saving time twice a year, there’s an increase in strokes, heart attacks, suicide, you name it, because it is not natural. It is not healthy,” said Kuzma.

Only two states don’t observe the time change: Arizona and Hawaii. Kuzma hopes Pennsylvania will become the third.

“If we do it, I believe that all of the states around us will follow in that because if you poll it nationally, it is very popular to abolish it,” said Kuzma. “That’s one of those things that you hear about every year and you kind of really hope that it’s going to happen eventually.”

Doctor Aracri says adopting a standard time would be best for everyone.

“I think you’ll still have that change as the sun wanes and you have less daylight. Like, we all feel like bears eating pasta and just sleeping all day. You’ll still have that, but you won’t have those little hiccups and those little bumps spring ahead and fall behind,” Aracri said.

The bill needs the approval of the House, the Senate, and the governor.

Doctor Aracri says exposing yourself to sunlight during the day can help your body adjust to the time change by resetting your circadian rhythm.

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