Statement from Rep. Marcus Riccelli on US Senate Passage of the Sunshine Protection Act

SPOKANE – Rep. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), released the following statement regarding the US Senate’s unanimous passage of the Sunshine Protection Act.

“Thank you to Sen. Patty Murray for sponsoring and passing the Sunshine Protection Act. Changing our clocks twice a year has been associated with increased heart attacks, strokes, and traffic collisions,” said Riccelli. “Since 2019, when the Legislature passed HB 1196, my bill to move Washington to Permanent Daylight Savings (PDST) time, we have waited for Congress to act and allow the West Coast to move to PDST. We now only need the US House to pass and President Biden to sign the Sunshine Protection Act for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California to stop the harmful practice of changing our clocks. Washingtonians are ready #DitchTheSwitch, #LockTheClock, and never fall back again!”

Read more about HB 1196 in this press release from when it was signed by Gov. Inslee: https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/riccelli/2019/05/08/permanent-daylight-saving-time-measure-signed-by-governor/

For media inquiries, please email Peter Kitchen at peter.kitchen@leg.wa.gov.