A Florida-led effort to end the twice-a-year clock change gained new momentum Tuesday as the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent across most of the country.
The Sunshine Protection Act passed in a bipartisan 308-117 vote and now heads to the Senate, where similar proposals have stalled in previous years. If enacted, Americans would no longer turn their clocks back in November, giving them later sunsets but also darker mornings throughout the winter.
The proposal has deep roots in Florida.
The federal Sunshine Protection Act was initially introduced in the Senate by then-Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in 2018. It was modeled after a Florida law of the same name that state lawmakers approved that year in an effort to keep the state on daylight saving time year-round.
Federal law currently allows states to remain on standard time permanently, as most of Arizona and Hawaii do, but does not permit states to independently adopt permanent daylight saving time.
In the House, the lead sponsor of the current bipartisan bill is Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla. The Senate companion was introduced by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.
“Today, the House took an important step toward ending the outdated practice of changing our clocks twice a year,” Buchanan said after the vote. “This commonsense legislation reflects what Americans have been saying for years: It’s time to lock the clock and make daylight saving time permanent.”
Buchanan said additional evening sunlight could improve public safety, encourage outdoor activity and benefit families and businesses. Supporters also argue that eliminating the clock change would reduce sleep disruptions and the confusion associated with moving clocks forward and backward each year.
President Donald Trump has publicly urged Congress to pass the measure, saying in a May social media post that he would work to see it signed into law.
What it would mean for Florida
Florida would be directly affected because the state already approved permanent daylight saving time in 2018, contingent on congressional authorization.
Under the federal legislation, Florida could remain one hour ahead during the winter instead of returning to standard time. Sunrises and sunsets would both occur one hour later by the clock from early November through early March.
For residents of Glades County, that would mean more daylight at the end of winter afternoons but darker conditions during the morning commute and as children travel to school.
In South Florida, winter sunrise could occur close to 8 a.m. under permanent daylight saving time. In Miami, for example, sunrise during the darkest part of winter would be around 7:50 a.m., while sunset would occur around 6:30 p.m.
Supporters say the extra evening daylight could benefit Florida’s tourism, recreation and hospitality industries. Critics argue that dark winter mornings could create safety concerns for students, commuters, agricultural workers and others who begin their days early.
The bill would permit states to opt out and instead remain on permanent standard time if their legislatures act before the federal measure takes effect. Nineteen states have passed laws or resolutions supporting year-round daylight saving time if Congress authorizes the change.
Orthodox groups raise prayer concerns
Orthodox Jewish advocacy organizations are among the groups opposing permanent daylight saving time, warning that later winter sunrises would interfere with morning prayer schedules.
Jewish law connects morning prayer times to daylight and sunrise. Many observant Jewish men attend synagogue services before going to work, but permanent daylight saving time could push sunrise past 8 a.m. in many communities and beyond 9 a.m. in some cities during the winter.
Agudath Israel of America has warned that some synagogues could struggle to organize morning prayer services and that worshippers could have difficulty completing prayers before the start of the workday.
Orthodox advocates have also raised concerns about children traveling to religious schools and other schools before sunrise. Permanent daylight saving time would mean later evening light, but it would not create additional daylight; it would move an hour of sunlight from the morning to the evening.
The proposed change could also affect the timing of Friday evening and holiday observances, which begin at sunset, by pushing their starting times later during portions of the year.
Senate prospects remain uncertain
The Sunshine Protection Act’s future in the Senate is unclear.
A similar measure passed the Senate by unanimous consent in 2022 but never received a vote in the House. This time, the House has acted first, but several senators have expressed concerns about permanent daylight saving time.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has warned that later winter sunrises could leave children, commuters and workers traveling in darkness. An effort to quickly advance the Senate legislation previously stalled after Cotton objected.
Supporters argue that changing clocks twice a year is unpopular. However, Americans remain divided over whether permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time would be the better replacement.
The country briefly experimented with year-round daylight saving time during the 1970s energy crisis. Congress ended the experiment early after public support declined amid complaints about dark winter mornings and concerns about children traveling to school before sunrise.