Bill Overview
Title: Sunshine Protection Act of 2021
Description: This bill makes daylight saving time the new, permanent standard time, effective November 5, 2023. States with areas exempt from daylight saving time may choose the standard time for those areas.
Sponsors: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Target Audience
Population: People living in regions observing Daylight Saving Time (DST)
Estimated Size: 280000000
- Every person living in a region that observes daylight saving time will experience a shift in time observation, potentially affecting their daily routines.
- This may affect people’s schedules, including work, school, and other activities that are currently adjusted for daylight saving time transitions.
- People in states with full daylight saving time observance will be directly impacted as their timelines will remain in a constant daylight saving time mode year-round.
- Regions already exempt from daylight saving time like Hawaii and Arizona will have no change unless they choose to observe permanent daylight saving time.
- Countries outside the US that have interactions with US-based entities might experience some indirect impact due to potential changes in coordination and communication schedules.
Reasoning
- The policy will primarily impact areas currently observing daylight saving time by making it permanent. This could alter daily routines such as school and work schedules as people adjust to more consistent daylight hours.
- The budget constraints imply a focus on awareness and adaptation support rather than infrastructure changes. Therefore, major financial shifts or investments are unlikely, and the cost is mainly associated with public orientations and minimal administrative changes.
- The diversity in responses is also important as individuals will experience varying degrees of impact depending on their profession (e.g., shift workers) and lifestyle preferences (e.g., early risers vs. night owls).
- Commonness scores reflect how typical these individuals are based on regional demographics, occupational profiles, and lifestyle characteristics relevant to the policy.
Simulated Interviews
Retired (New York, NY)
Age: 67 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's great. Less hassle remembering to change clocks.
- It'll be nice to have more daylight in the evening for walks with the grandkids.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Software Developer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our clocks won't change, but I worry about scheduling with teams in different time zones.
- It's generally less confusing when everyone is on the same schedule.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Barista (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm tired of feeling groggy after the clock change; it'll be nice not to worry about it.
- More daylight in the evening is awesome for meeting up with friends.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
High School Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Mornings might feel darker for the kids, but at least the evenings will be brighter.
- Might need to adjust class schedules a bit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Nurse (Boston, MA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Permanent daylight saving will make it easier to manage shifts all year round.
- I hope it helps with patient routines and moods too.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
College Student (Orlando, FL)
Age: 23 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I prefer the change, so I don't have to adjust my sleep schedule twice a year.
- Looking forward to more evening light on campus.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Freelance Writer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.5 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Consistent daylight might help keep my writing schedule stable.
- Hope it helps with my seasonal mood swings.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Truck Driver (Dallas, TX)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Might make scheduling trips easier, but not sure how it'll affect hours of service limits.
- Could benefit family time in the evening.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Construction Worker (Salt Lake City, UT)
Age: 59 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Might not change much for work as we start early, but the extra evening light is positive.
- Hope it benefits safety on sites with better daylight.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Financial Analyst (Miami, FL)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It'll be a relief not to have to monitor the hour change twice a year.
- More consistent daytime might help with managing kids' schedules.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $10000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $10000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $10000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $10000000)
Year 10: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $10000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $10000000)
Key Considerations
- Public communication and adjustment are primary concerns in implementation.
- Businesses and institutions may experience some initial operational adjustments, but these are expected to stabilize quickly.
- The potential cost of public awareness campaigns to ensure minimal confusion during the transition.
- The impact on coordination with regions that do not implement DST changes or have differing schedules.