Sunshine Protection Act: The challenges permanent Daylight Saving Time could present

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The House just passed the “Sunshine Protection Act” on July 14, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. However, this initiative has yet to pass the Senate, or be signed by the President, so it is not law quite yet. 

However, if this were to hypothetically to go into effect, and we do not set our clocks back in November, Michiana would have 9 a.m. sunrise come winter.

While this would mean a little extra daylight in the evenings, this would negatively impact the morning commute for students heading back to school this fall. Ted Brown, Director of Transportation of Plymouth Community Schools, says the safety of his students and drivers is his top priority, especially as mornings get darker.

Brown and his team prioritize teamwork by working with local city officials and parents to offer the safest environments to students and drivers during the school year. If the lawmakers make the decision to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, the morning commute and the start of the school day would be in darkness.

"The darkness does not help us at all," Brown says. “I know there's no easy answer, but if we take our kids' safety and factor that into it as the most important...that makes the most sense.”