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LOS ANGELES - As the country groans and grumbles over Daylight Saving Time, the people in most of Arizona and Hawaii continue with their lives uninterrupted, their circadian rhythms intact.
Why don’t the two states participate?
Daylight Saving Time was mandatory during World Wars I and II, but afterwards it was left up to local governments to decide if they participated. Chaos ensued-- with neighboring cities adjusting their clocks weeks apart, so Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966 to standardize daylight saving time. States could exempt themselves if they chose. In 1968 Arizona did just that. Due to the scorching temperatures in their unique desert climate, no one wanted an extra hour of sunshine and heat.
The exception in Arizona is the Navajo Nation which follows Daylight Saving Time because the reservation includes neighboring states Utah and New Mexico.
Hawaii opted out because it’s much closer to the equator than the other 49 states, so sunrise and sunset times don’t change much throughout the year. Beautiful weather and no time change? We’re seriously considering saying Aloha to Hawaii.