From staff reports OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma state Sen. Blake “Cowboy” Stephens (R-Tahlequah) recently gave an update on Senate Bill 1200, the Daylight Saving Bill, which he authored four years ago.
Following the passage of a federal law allowing states to opt out of biannual time change participation, the measure would have Oklahoma adopting permanent daylight saving time.3 Stephens is excited that the bill has passed in the House of Representatives.
“Finally, we got this thing moving in a positive direction,” he said. “And it is all about a matter of time.
“I was honored to have the Speaker of the House running the bill with me on Senate Bill 1200. I am very honored and blessed that the Governor signed that bill after we got through both chambers.”
Stephens said Oklahoma is the 20th state to keep an hour of daylight in the evening during wintertime. He emphasized the benefits of “lock the clock” legislation, such as health and crime reduction.
“What has to happen now is the Sunshine Protection Act has to be passed by Congress to allow us to lock that clock on daylight savings time,” Stephens said.
Stephens believes that as more states “lock the clock,” the idea’s popularity will increase. He added that if the bill passes, 127 winter days will gain an hour of sunlight, while the rest of the year remains the same.
“We won’t quit working on it until it is across the finish line once and for all,” Stephens said.