The clock tower at Albany Station on Wednesday afternoon, March 6, 2024.
Seeing the clock tower at Albany Station on a bike ride Wednesday reminded me of a time issue that remains unresolved in Oregon because the legislature passed up a chance to fix it.
The issue is daylight saving time, which starts again on Sunday, March 10.
Most people dislike the stupid ritual losing an hour in March, only to get it back in November. It’s an irritation, not a life-or-death issue except in the rare case where it contributes to an accident or otherwise harms people’s health.
In 2019, there was an attempt to keep Oregon, Washington and California on daylight time year-round. But it required the consent of Congress, and in its typical fashion Congress did nothing.
This year, the Oregon Senate passed a bill to keep Oregon on standard time instead of making the switch. States can do that without congressional approval.
After first stalling in the state Senate, the bill passed the second time after being amended. The amended version said Oregon would stay on standard time only if California and Washington did the same.
This week the bill died in the House. The office of Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, announced there wasn’t enough time left in the session for the House to consider the bill.
I’m sorry to say that in the last redistricting, my home address was switched into Rayfield’s House District. I would have wished for my state representative to be a little more energetic in getting this simple bill before the House for a vote even though time was short.
The original Senate bill should have passed, without any reference to our neighboring states. Passing it would have eliminated one needless complication from the lives of most people in Oregon. But for the 2024 Oregon Assembly, this proved too much to ask.
As for the clock tower at Albany Station, it’s there mostly for decoration and it doesn’t matter whether it’s on standard or daylight time, as you can see in the photo below. (hh)
And here’s a closer look at the clock tower at 4:09 p.m. Wednesday.
Hasso, I’m sure Dan Rayfield, a successful lawyer and legislator, has more of an idea than you do as to whether the legislature would act on that bill promptly.
Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.
I actually like DST, but not in this current format. The old format was much more sensible with the changes in April & October.
I’m sooo tired of things coming up for a vote of our state constituents that unanimously passes… and the state decides they MUST intervene.
We the people voted… it passed… end of story… comply!
We should fix it only as a country not as 1 state
The Congress of the U.S. (that is The House and the Senate) is frozen. The Republicans will not let any legislation pass. Weren’t you aware of that? A proposal for changing to permanent daylight savings time in Oregon, Washington, and California has been “shelved” in The Congress for months, if not a year or more. It takes an Amendment to The Constitution 10 years or more to get passed (and always has), so that is why no one tries it any longer.
You seem to be misinformed.
Arizona (a state I love) does not observe Daylight Saving Time, with the exception of the Navajo Nation. Arizona made the permanent change to Standard time in 1968.
No federal approval, no federal constitutional amendment.
Weren’t you aware of that?
Yes, I was aware of that. That is why Oregon can change to Standard Time if they can agree on it in the Legislature. You cannot change to permanent Daylight Saving Time without going through the U.S. Congress, though, but you can go back to Standard Time and avoid Congress’ approval. Were you not aware of that, supreme being that you are!!
What Republicans won’t let the legislation pass? IF you weren’t so misinformed, you’d realize this state’s legislature is overwhelmingly Democrat. Thank you for trying to play.
Why not elect politicians and pay them to stay home? They certainly don’t follow the voters desires as in the case of DST.
Oregon blows it?
Hasso, you simply are misinformed and clearly don’t understand what is a priority to most Oregonians, at least according to Oregon politicians.
In 2023 the Senate Dems “led on the issues that matter most to all Oregonians”, according to Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber.
The laws they passed will “make meaningful difference in people’s lives”, said House Majority Leader Julie Fahey.
For example, half of all parents are just a basket of deplorables and can’t educate their kids about the dangers of Fentanyl, so State government has fill in (Senate Bill 238) with money for curricula that teaches students about the dangers of synthetic opioids.
Will the effectiveness of this “investment” be measured? Probably not, but this bill is not about return on investment, it’s the state imposing itself as the better parent to deplorable kids than their deplorable parents.
Another example – Banning Use of Hazardous Polystyrene Food Containers (SenateBill543). It’s about improving the environment by banning takeout containers. The basket of deplorables are just too stupid to understand how they endanger the environment when when they use the drive thru at McDonalds. State government to the rescue!
Oregonians have been demanding action on these things according to Oregon politicians, and the politicians delivered.
Fix the time change issue like most Oregonians want? Pshaw….get real.
Oh My God, the main MAGA guy on the blog, Gordon Shadle, just called kids (not only their parents) deplorables!!!
Nice, Gordon. NOT!! (I thought we got past that since Hillary is not running for office. Thought I had better mention Hillary using the word, deplorables, so you can’t effectively blast me with that “blast from the past.”
AGAIN, you’ve swallowed it hook, line & sinker. Thank you for playing.
FYI – Hawaii is also on standard time year-round.
I prefer daylight savings time it saves electrical cost the electric company would love to see standard time is they make a shit load more money.
I have noticed the sun doesn’t care what time people say it is. Instead, it just rolls around heaven all day.