FALL BACK: If you’re always feeling like you could just lie in bed another hour, feel free to do so Sunday; you won’t miss anything.
Daylight saving time ends overnight and most internet-connected devices will update their clocks automatically.
While we think it’s divine and wish it were possible every Sunday morning, there are plenty of people who want to make DST permanent and eliminate the twice-yearly time changes.
Doing so, however, would require federal legislation.
According to a release from state Sen. Scott Martin, a proponent of permanent DST, studies show time changes result in more accidents, health problems and productivity loss exceeding $400 million annually.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 450 bills and resolutions have been considered recently to establish year-round DST as soon as federal law allows.
Arizona and Hawaii are currently exempt, while Maine, Massachusetts and Florida have proposed exemptions.
Many believe DST began to help farmers, but the practice actually began temporarily during World War I as a fuel-saving measure and was reinstated briefly during WWII. It became a fixture for most of America when President Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
It’s also that semiannual time of year when organizations like the American Red Cross encourage people to check their smoke alarms.
“Home fires claim more lives every year than all natural disasters combined, but working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half,” said Jorge Martinez, Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania CEO.
Check alarm batteries and replace if needed. Create and practice an escape plan with family, including two ways out of every room and an established meeting point.
Replace smoke alarms 10 years or older. Components become less sensitive over time.