There was a lot of indifference on display during an Iowa Senate subcommittee hearing that would make daylight savings time the year-round time in Iowa. The senators decided to sign it out of the subcommittee with amendments recommended.
Both Democrat State Sen. Tony Bisignano and Republican State Sen. Dennis Guth agreed they were fine signing on if subcommittee chairman GOP State Sen. Jeff Reichman wanted to move it through. They also said they were fine seeing the bill die, but in the end, Riechman moved it along.
Dustin Miller with the Iowa Chamber Alliance said he talked with partners in the state’s border communities and they all said it would be unworkable.
Brad Epperly with the Iowa Broadcasters Association said a change would create headaches for TV, but it’d be very difficult for radio.
Scott Yates said there are efforts in Congress to find a permanent time for the entire country. He said Iowa would not be able to make daylight savings time the permanent time all year because federal law allows states to go to standard time, but not daylight savings time.
Yates added there are more states making a move or discussing it than in past years.
The three legislators talked about possibly amending the bill to require a certain amount of bordering states to make the move first.
It is unlikely anything moves forward with the bill this session, but the conversation may continue nonetheless.
