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Michigan Legislator Proposes Ending Daylight Saving Time

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - A state legislator aims to eliminate daylight saving time in Michigan, the standard that calls for clocks to be moved forward an hour in spring and back an hour in fall.

Ann Arbor Democratic Rep. Jeff Irwin introduced legislation Wednesday that would direct the state to follow the standard time of the zone in which it is located.

"As we have all experienced this week, changing schedules for daylight saving time is stressful and unnecessary. In the days after the spring time shift, there are well-documented increases in road and workplace accidents, as well as heart attacks," Irwin said in a statement.

Daylight Saving Time was instituted in the United States during World War I in order to save energy for war production by taking advantage of the later hours of daylight between April and October. The passage of the Energy Policy Act in 2005 extended Daylight Saving Time by four weeks — from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November.

"Although daylight saving time is supposed to save energy, the evidence from Indiana's 2006 changeover to daylight saving time shows an increase in electricity usage, not a savings," said Irwin.

A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that Indiana, the most recent state to transition to daylight saving time, saw a 1 percent increase in residential energy usage associated with the change. Researchers concluded that small energy savings in lighting were more than offset by increased energy usage for heating and cooling.

"Ultimately, daylight saving time is not worth the disruption it causes," Irwin said. "I hope my colleagues and Michigan residents will join me in supporting this legislation to eliminate the worst day of the year."

TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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