(KGTV) - It may not be generating a lot of buzz or controversy, but a statewide proposition on this year's ballot could have a dramatic impact on the life of every person in California.
Proposition 7 could mean the end of Daylight Saving Time across the state. The state Legislature voted last session to place the proposal to stop the time change on the ballot.
According to the text of the measure, Prop. 7 would do three things:
- Establish "Pacific Standard Time" as the official time zone within California
- Set the start of Daylight Saving Time at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and the end on the first Sunday of November
- Give the Legislature the authority to change those standards, with 2/3 vote
It's the third part that has the most impact. If the legislature decided to, they could make Daylight Saving the official time of the state all year long. They could also do away with Daylight Saving.
A "yes" vote doesn't make any immediate changes. It just gives the legislature the power to do so down the line. A "no" vote on the proposition would leave things the way they are.
Supporters of the proposition, including San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-80), say doing away with DST would help with energy conservation. It would also improve health, as studies show heart attacks and stroke risk increase in the week following a time change.
Opponents argue that doing away with Daylight Saving (or adopting it full time) would cause more accidents by making people go to work or school in the dark. And, they say, it would put California at an economic disadvantage because it would be on a different time as some of its neighboring states half the year.
For more information on Prop 7, click here.
