Congress is considering legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent across the United States, ending the practice of changing clocks twice annually. The Sunshine Protection Act, which has resurfaced in the House of Representatives, aims to shift the nation's official clocks forward by one hour permanently, resulting in darker mornings and later sunsets.
Proponents of the bill, including Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), argue that permanent daylight saving time could offer public health benefits, reduce traffic accidents, decrease crime, and encourage more outdoor activities. He stated that Americans are tired of the biannual clock change and that evidence supports the benefits of permanent daylight saving time.
Several California representatives are cosponsors of the bill, including Reps. Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake), Ken Calvert (R-Corona), and Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills). The Senate version of the bill, SB 29, is sponsored by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), who has previously called the twice-yearly clock change an unnecessary annoyance.
However, the proposal faces opposition. Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-San Pedro) has raised concerns, citing warnings from medical professionals and sleep scientists who advocate for permanent standard time. These experts suggest that standard time better aligns with the human body's natural circadian rhythm. Barragán referenced a past U.S. experiment with permanent daylight saving time in 1974, during which children reportedly faced dark conditions waiting for school buses, and traffic accidents resulted in fatalities.
States and territories currently exempt from daylight saving time, such as Arizona and Hawaii, would have the option to either maintain their current time or adopt the permanent daylight saving schedule. This provision allows for regional variations in timekeeping.
In California, voters in 2018 approved Proposition 7, which granted the state legislature the authority to switch to permanent daylight saving time, contingent upon federal approval. If the federal government removes the barrier, the California State Legislature would still require a two-thirds majority vote to enact the change. Should California decide to adopt permanent daylight saving time, residents would experience sunnier winter afternoons, but the sun would not rise until approximately 8:00 a.m. during December and January.