New move to daylight-saving time remains in the dark

INDIANAPOLIS -- GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels and businesses are making the biggest legislative push for daylight-saving time in years, but decades of resistance and partisan politics might block the time change once again.\nThe issue got its most serious consideration in years at the General Assembly Monday. But after a hearing before the House Commerce Committee, the panel's chairman, Republican Rep. Randy Borror of Fort Wayne, postponed a vote.\nMost of those who testified for the bill that would mandate that all of Indiana observe daylight-saving time were businesses and their lobbying groups.\nBut it has been a polarizing issue in Indiana, and not a big partisan one. Many lawmakers from both parties have been wary of even talking on the topic because their constituents are virtually evenly divided, passionate and extremely vocal about it.\nAnd there were signs Monday night that Democrats might try to make it a partisan issue this session.\nBorror said he still expects his panel to endorse the bill and move it to the full House. He also predicted passage there.\n"I think it will be a close vote but I think it will make it to the Senate," Borror said.\nThe bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Jerry Torr of Carmel, also said the bill could pass the House -- unless Democrats try to make it a partisan issue. Republicans control the chamber 52-48, but the bill would need 51 votes to pass, and Torr said he would need some Democrat votes to get it through.\nTensions among House Democrats, out of power for the first time in eight years, are rising. House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said earlier Monday that Democrats had not attended or left at least three committee meetings that morning.\nBosma suggested later that Democrats might try to stall the daylight-saving time bill for future negotiating power on other bills. All Democrats except Rep. David Orentlicher, D-Indianapolis, had left Borror's committee meeting by the time it ended shortly after 7 p.m. EST. Orentlicher said other Democrat members probably just had other commitments.\nAlthough legislative efforts to bring all of Indiana in line with 47 other states have failed at least 24 times over the past three decades, Daniels is backing the time change and has lined up supporters.\nDaniels' Commerce Secretary Patricia Miller spoke the governor's line Monday.\nShe said most of Indiana's "quirky" decision to ignore the time change puts us at an economic disadvantage. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce cited several reasons for that, including confusion that adversely affects travel arrangements, trucking and flight shipping times and missed meetings and conference calls.\nBut several theater owners said the extra daylight in the evening would hurt their businesses, and other opponents said many average residents are passionately against the proposed change.\nRep. Dale Grubb, D-Covington, said surveys of constituents in his far western-Indiana district consistently show that 90 percent want clocks to stay the same.\n"I can raise taxes 10 times and not generate as much heat as this issue," Grubb said.\nSome opponents said it would mean that kids spend more of the year waiting for the morning school bus in the dark and could lead to sleep deprivation for some adults.\nIf the bill gets to the full House, it would mark the first time since 1995 that such legislation made it to the floor of either chamber in the General Assembly. It failed to clear the House that year.\nCurrently, 82 of Indiana's 92 counties are in the Eastern time zone, but 77 do not observe daylight-saving time. Five counties in southeastern Indiana are in the Eastern zone and do observe it. Five counties in the northwest corner and five in the southwestern corner are in the Central time zone and observe daylight time.\nTorr's bill does not seek changes in time zones, something the federal government would have to approve.