I urge you to support SB 541. I am a sleep medicine specialist and a professor of Neurology writing on behalf of the positions of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and American Academy of Neurology. These societies and others support permanent standard time as the naturally healthy way to end biannual clock changes to and from daylight saving time. I invite you to review my testimony on behalf of the AASM before the senate commerce committee last spring. (https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/6DC4E447-FE78-4EF0-A5DA-7E514A718C2B). The switches are very unpopular and especially after the spring change to DST there is an increase in health and safety risks including more strokes, heart attacks, car crashes, deaths as well as negative effects on workplace and academic performance. However, ending clock changes with permanent daylight saving time would be worse as both history (we tried it twice before in the US) and science show. I would like to counter some of the comments by Handy that suggest that permanent daylight saving time would be the safer option. While there are more car crashes in afternoon hours when more commuters are on the road and darkness is a risk factor for crashes, multiple studies support that the sleep and circadian effects on alertness have more of a negative impact. A study by Gentry demonstrated that locations with later sunrises and sunsets that are more misaligned from the sun being overhead at noon (as occurs with daylight saving time) found over 20% more fatal crashes. The insurance institute for highway safety for a 12% increase in deadly crashes in the 5 weeks after the spring change to DST despite later sunsets and a decrease by 7% after the fall change to Standard time and they only considered the times of day most affected by light and not other times that would also be affected by sleep so the effect is likely more. Another study by Orsini using driving simulators showed worsened performance not only after the switch to DST but thoughout the entire DST period that was worse than during standard time. The deer study also only considered the effects of light and did not consider the effects of sleep and circadian disruption. (see attached commentary by Winnebeck) Multiple position statements support permenant standard time instead after extensive review of the science. Physical health (obesity, cancer, stroke, heart attacks), mental health (depression, suicide), workplace productivity, academic performance all show better outcomes when the clocks are in better alignment with the sun overhead at noon which is what permanent standard time allows for. Energy use, utility bills and pollution are also lower with permanent standard time as both heating in the winter and cooling utilization in the summer are reduced. One study by JP Morgan showed 5.9% increase in health care spending in the first month of DST in LA compared to Phoenix that remained on ST. The adverse effects of DST have the greatest impacts on 3 groups: adolescents and teens, other night owls, and anyone with work or caregiving starting before 8:30 AM including many of our essential workers. As permanent standard time is already approved, this bill will only move Virginia to standard time in coordination with other nearby states, but it sends an important message to the federal government that Virginia want to end clock change with the naturally healthy choice of permanent standard time. Yes on SB 541.

Good afternoon. My name is Joseph Dzierzewski. I am a sleep clinician, a sleep researcher, a parent of young school‑aged children, and the Senior Vice President of Research at the National Sleep Foundation, which supports permanent Standard Time. I previously served on the faculty at VCU, where I directed the Behavioral Medicine program in the Department of Psychology. I’m asking you to support SB541. Permanent Standard Time is the healthiest and safest choice for Virginians. Aligning our clocks with the sun year‑round strengthens sleep, alertness, mood, learning, and public safety. These benefits are backed by extensive scientific evidence and reflect fundamental human biology. SB541 includes a delayed effective date to support regional coordination, and while logistics may present complications, they should not keep Virginia tied to the current, unhealthy practice of biannual clock changes. Our responsibility is to protect the health and well‑being of all Virginians. Even if neighboring states hesitate, it is time for Virginia to stand up, do the right thing, and lead. For the health and safety of our communities, please vote yes on SB541. Thank you.

Dear Committee, please approve SB541, from Senator Stuart. This bill would ditch Daylight Saving Time, as most voters want done. It has a delayed effective date, to ensure regional coordination. Permanent Standard Time aligns clocks to the sun year-round, for natural health and performance. The National Safety Council, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and over a hundred nonprofits endorse this. Hundreds of scientific studies support this. Countless historical examples prove this. And it’s pre-approved by federal law. Congress is waiting for states to lead on this. Please ditch DST. Vote yes on SB541. Thank you!

Dear Committee, please approve SB541, from Senator Stuart. This bill would ditch Daylight Saving Time, as most voters want done. It has a delayed effective date, to ensure regional coordination. Permanent Standard Time aligns clocks to the sun year-round, for natural health and performance. The National Safety Council, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and over a hundred nonprofits endorse this. Hundreds of scientific studies support this. Countless historical examples prove this. And it’s pre-approved by federal law. Congress is waiting for states to lead on this. Please ditch DST. Vote yes on SB541. Thank you! Wendy Briskman

Please vote yes on SB541.

On behalf of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters, we oppose this bill. Virginia has media markets that cross state lines other than Maryland and D.C. ( NC, TN, WV) and this could cause scheduling and programming issues, particularly with regard to live news, weather and sports.

Yes on SB541 (Stuart). Dear Honorable Representatives, please support SB541 (Stuart), a bill that will permanently end daylight saving time in favor or permanent standard time. As a neurologist, sleep clinician who has had a sleep clinic in VA for over 20 years, and a sleep researcher, I believe strongly that the Commonwealth will be best served by the adoption of permanent standard time. It has been shown to benefit circadian health, improve immunity, longevity, mood, alertness, and performance in school, sports, and work. Standard Time protects start times and preserves the morning sunlight that is essential for schoolchildren, commuters, outdoor laborers, and service personnel. It lets most people sleep naturally past dawn year-round, and it makes bedtimes easier for families. It has been observed without incident in Arizona, Hawaii, all US territories, and most nations for many decades. The global community is moving in this direction, and for these and many more reasons, I home Virginia will too. Please follow the science and the will of Virginians and vote to end the harms of daylight saving time. Vote an enthusiastic Yes on SB541. Sincerely, W. Christopher Winter, MD, Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine.

Please approve SB51 (by Senator Stuart). This bill can ditch Daylight Saving Time in coordination with nearby states, as most voters want to be done. It is pre-approved by federal law. Its policy is endorsed by over a hundred nonprofits. Science supports it as naturally best for sleep health. Please vote YES on SB51 to ditch DST. Thank you!

Yes on SB541

Honorable Delegates: Many of us want to stop changing clocks, and year-round standard time is the safe and healthy way to do it. It does not darken winter mornings as in 1974. It preserves fair shares of the morning light and evening darkness we need for a regular sleep/wake cycle, as recommended by the American Medical Association. It exercises the same option under 15 USC §260a as Arizona and Hawaii did. Until 1966, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and part of southwestern Virginia also observed standard time year round. The effective date condition of SB541 avoids splitting the DC metro area. Advancing this bill would help break the deadlock of state and federal legislators waiting for the other to move first. Please take this positive step for our health, safety, and sanity.

I support year round standard time because it aligns better with our natural circadian rhythms. Research shows this improves sleep, mood, cognitive performance, and long term heart health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends permanent standard time based on this evidence. Aligning our clocks with the sun is a simple, science based step that supports public health and safety.

Please get rid of daylight savings time. It’s simple evolution. Humans evolved to sleep when it gets dark and wake up when the sun rises. Standard time is the healthiest time for all humans. Do it for your family, your friends, and those you love. Everyone will be healthier if we live on standard time. Please.

Dear Members of the House Rules Committee, I am a constituent writing to ask you to oppose SB541, which has passed the Senate and would make standard time permanent in the Commonwealth. While I understand the desire to eliminate the twice-yearly time change, I am concerned that permanent standard time would significantly reduce evening daylight and negatively affect community life. My husband and I walk most evenings during Daylight Saving Time. We get exercise, sunlight, and fresh air after work. Our walks also allow us to talk with neighbors, many of whom have become friends. Earlier sunsets would make these walks much less feasible and reduce interactions that help build community. Building community is especially important in today's polarized and fractured country. In addition, I have difficulty driving after dark and limit my activities when it is dark outside. Earlier evening darkness would restrict my participation in community and civic activities, and I know many older Virginians face even greater challenges driving at night. For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to oppose SB541 and consider the impact that permanently earlier sunsets would have on safety, community connection, and quality of life in Virginia. Respectfully, Julie Atwater

Permanent standard time via SB541 endangers Virginia far more than clock changes. Urge House Rules to continue to 2027, or kill all together. Safety Risks Evening commutes (4-7 PM) already deadliest. NHTSA peaks here with 2-3x morning crashes from volume/fatigue. Standard time darkens sunsets: 5 PM or before from Dec-Feb, spiking pedestrian deaths +13% (IIHS), +195 nationwide yearly. Deer collisions would increase by over 70,000 and cause an extra $2.39B (Prugh study). Crime +7-11% evenings (Stanford). Economic Losses JP Morgan: 3.5% spending drop post-DST end proves evening light drives sales. Tourism (Va Beach) empties; NoVA misaligns DC/MD. Retail Q4 tanks 3-5%. Health Toll SAD +11% chronic dark (Danish); obesity +5-10% melatonin delay (CDC). Evening activity cuts depression 8-15%—standard kills it. Virginia Mismatch DC/MD triggers fail; HB9 continued Feb 6 after opposition rout. Referred Rules Feb 24—no docket, ~14 days to sine die. 95% die here. Better Path Federal DST or status quo + later schools/flex work. ALSO Permanent standard time via SB541 endangers Virginia far more than clock changes—and personally, I find it outrageous how it wastes precious daylight hours. Why force sunsets at 5 PM when most Virginians are just getting off work, eating dinner, or heading out for evening activities? That early gloom squanders the sun's peak usability during our awake hours, compressing life into rushed mornings nobody fully exploits while evenings—when families play sports, shop, or relax outdoors—turn dark and dead. It's unnatural for modern schedules. "Getting up earlier" is not an option most people in school, work, or those with fixed schedules get. DST effectively does make us wake up an hour earlier to maximize daylight usage. You guys continued HB9, give the same treatment to this bill. Clock changes are fine the way they are, I also oppose permanent DST due to dark mornings and safety issues. Current system works fine. Oppose SB541.

Dear Committee, I write to you as a constituent, a sleep clinician, a sleep researcher, and a parent of young school aged children to urge you to APPROVE SB541. As, I cannot overstate how beneficial permanent Saving Time would be for the health, safety, and daily functioning of Virginians. My perspective comes not only from lived experience as a parent, but from a career spent studying sleep, circadian rhythms, and their impact on public health. I have published over 160 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts (the majority focusing on sleep health), worked directly with patients struggling with sleep disorders, contributed to national conversations on evidence based sleep policy, and am the former Director of the Behavioral Medicine Clinical Psychology doctoral program at Virginia Commonwealth University. The scientific literature is unequivocal: permanent Saving Time would be beneficial for healthy sleep, cognitive performance, and safety. For the wellbeing of our children, our workforce, and our communities, I respectfully and strongly urge you to vote YES on SB541. Thank you for your consideration.

Dear Committee, please approve SB541 (by Senator Stuart). This bill can ditch Daylight Saving Time in coordination with nearby states, as most voters want to be done. It is pre-approved by federal law. Its policy is endorsed by over a hundred nonprofits. Science supports it as naturally best for sleep health. And history shows that it lasts for decades when done. Please vote YES on SB541 to ditch DST. Thank you!

Yes on SB541 (Stuart). Dear Honorable Representatives, Please support SB541 (Stuart), a bill to ditch Daylight Saving Time (DST) in coordination with nearby states, as is federally pre-approved, widely endorsed, supported by most voters, and shown by history and science to be most beneficial and lasting. Permanent Standard Time (natural time) is the only federally permitted way to end disruptive clock changes, as most voters wish to do. Standard Time aligns clocks more honestly to the sun, which balances morning and evening sunlight for everyone. Its benefits to circadian health improve immunity, longevity, mood, alertness, and performance in school, sports, and work. Standard Time protects start times and preserves the morning sunlight that is essential for schoolchildren, commuters, outdoor laborers, and service personnel. It lets most people sleep naturally past dawn year-round, and it makes bedtimes easier for families. It has been observed without incident in Arizona, Hawaii, all US territories, and most nations for many decades. Mexico restored permanent Standard Time in 2022. Canada is now considering it, as are DC, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Kentucky, South Carolina, and many more. Congress is waiting for states to lead on permanent Standard Time. Government should set clocks objectively to the sun, then let the public set schedules from there. Gallup finds plurality public support for permanent Standard Time (48%), not for permanent DST (24%), and not for the status quo (19%). Countless organizations and advocates on the left and right oppose DST and endorse permanent Standard Time. Among these are the Southern Sleep Society, National Safety Council, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Research Society, Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, National Sleep Foundation, American Academy of Neurology, American Thoracic Society, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Canadian Sleep Research Consortium, Canadian Sleep Society, Canadian Society for Chronobiology, editorial boards of Bloomberg, Orlando Sentinel, Minnesota Star Tribune, Oregonian, contributors to Daily Wire, PragerU, Human Events, Cato, Breaking Points, and more. More details, including polls, endorsements, and visuals, are in the attached PDF. Please hear the nonpartisan consensus of history and science. Save time, money, and lives. End the harms of artificial DST, and restore naturally healthful permanent Standard Time. Yes on SB541. Sincerely, Jay Pea, Cochair, Coalition for Permanent Standard Time, DitchDST.com