The States Advocating Year-Round Daylight Saving Time: What's in the Way?

 The States Advocating Year-Round Daylight Saving Time: What's in the Way?

The states in favor of daylight saving time all year long

Over the last six years, 19 states have taken steps to embrace year-round daylight saving time. But what hurdles must be cleared to make this a reality?

As millions of Americans enjoy an extra hour of sleep but anticipate the loss of sunlight in the late afternoon with the end of daylight saving time, the question of why we still observe this century-old tradition of changing our clocks twice a year lingers. Meanwhile, state legislatures throughout the nation are actively working to put an end to this practice.

Since 2018, almost all states have either passed or considered legislation to eliminate the biannual time shift. As per data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 states have adopted laws or resolutions in favor of year-round daylight saving time.

However, there's a crucial catch: Until Congress addresses a 1960s-era law that stands in the way, nothing can change.

Where Do States Stand on Daylight Saving Time?

Nineteen states have passed laws or resolutions supporting permanent daylight saving time with federal authorization. Arizona and Hawaii already adhere to standard time year-round.

The United States has adhered to daylight saving time since 1918, prompted by President Woodrow Wilson's signing of the Standard Time Act, which aimed to reduce energy costs during World War I by maximizing daylight hours. Almost 50 years later, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 required states following daylight saving to synchronize their start and end dates. This law implies that states cannot adopt daylight saving time year-round unless Congress initially amends federal legislation.

Nevertheless, states can opt for standard time throughout the year to avoid clock changes. Consequently, numerous regions within the country, including Hawaii, most of Arizona, and several U.S. territories, such as American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, do not observe daylight saving time.

In the past five years, a renewed effort has emerged to halt the practice of changing the clocks. In 2018, Florida passed the Sunshine Protection Act, designed to maintain permanent daylight saving time if authorized by federal law. At the federal level, Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, introduced the national Sunshine Protection Act, which would establish daylight saving time as the year-round standard across the nation, while offering exceptions for regions currently exempt from daylight saving time. Although the legislation unanimously passed the Senate in 2022, it faced a standstill in the House during the previous session. Senator Rubio reintroduced the bill in March.

States advocating for permanent daylight saving time, like Ohio, argue that the additional daylight contributes to reduced crime, fewer car accidents, lower energy consumption, and increased opportunities for outdoor activities.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a medical association whose members advocate for sleep health policies, released a statement calling for the elimination of daylight saving time in its entirety, emphasizing that standard time aligns best with people's natural circadian rhythms and supports health and safety.

The transition itself, particularly the "spring forward" time change, raises significant concerns. Research indicates that it leads to increased workplace injuries, higher car crash fatalities, and elevated heart attack risks. A study conducted in 2023 found that a week after the time change, individuals reported increased sleep dissatisfaction and higher rates of insomnia.