Source
State Archives of Florida, Series S125
Description
A letter from W. Taylor Sams to Governor Askew questioning Daylight Saving Time, dated January 31, 1974. The letter is on Southern Electric Company letterhead. Attached is a graph of sunrise and sunset times.
General Note
In 1973, the United States was facing energy shortages and developed a variety of approaches to conserve energy as a result, including the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act of 1973. This legislation established a trial period of year-round Daylight Saving Time (DST) from January 6, 1974 to April 27, 1975. The hope was that an extra hour of daylight in the evening would reduce energy consumption, especially the use of electricity.
In Florida, the change to year-round DST came with serious consequences. In the first few weeks after the time change was enacted, several school-aged children were injured in traffic accidents in the dark mornings on their way to school.
In response to these accidents, there was an outpouring of citizen correspondence to Governor Askew expressing their opinions on year-round DST and whether or not Florida should move to counteract the Federal mandate within the state.
On January 29th, 1974, the Florida Legislature met for a special session to discuss DST. At the end of this session, no legislation was passed, and Florida continued to comply with the year-round Daylight Saving Time that President Nixon established.
In 2018, the Florida Legislature passed the “Sunshine Protection Act” (HB1013/SB858), stating that Florida will enact a year-round DST, provided that the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966 is amended to permit states to do so.
SOUTHERN ELECTRIC COMPANY
CONTRACTORS
INCORPORATED 1919
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32204
W. TAYLOR SAMS, P. E.
R. RUSSELL BUTLER
2545 EDISON AVENUE
PHONE 387-4648
January 31, 1974
Received Governor’s Office Feb 4 9 43 AM ’74 [stamped]
Dear Governor Askew:
The change to and from Daylight Saving Time should relate to actual times of sunrise. The dates of April 28 and October 28 do not, nor do they relate to other seasonal changes such as the usual beginning and end of the school year.
The attached chart bears out that the dates of change would more logically be the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in September.
Sunrise on October 27 would be at approximately 7:50 a.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time in Tallahassee where as on September 28 it would be 7:30. The logic has always existed, but it took the deaths of school children to get the attention.
I urge that Daylight Saving Time in October can GO. DALSAT OCAGO!
Sincerely,
Taylor Sams [signed]
W. Taylor Sams
WTS/plp
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