Daylight Saving Time is something most Americans don’t think about much beyond changing their clocks twice a year, but the mundane practice could soon see a major change as lawmakers consider making a permanent switch.
While the idea of adjusting clocks to make better use of daylight dates back hundreds of years, it was not widely implemented until World War I. In 1918, the United States needed to conserve energy, especially coal, for the war effort. To do this, the United States government adopted Daylight Saving Time, giving people more daylight in the evening and reducing the need for artificial lighting during wartime.
After the war ended, Daylight Saving Time was repealed, but it returned during World War II under what was called War Time, in which clocks stayed on the daylight saving time schedule yearround to support the war effort. In the decades following WW II, states and cities set their own time rules, leading to confusion across the country.
In an attempt to resolve this confusion and create some uniformity across cities, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which established a nationwide system for Daylight Saving Time while still allowing states to opt out. Today, 48 states follow the system, with the exception of Hawaii and most of Arizona.
Currently, Daylight Saving Time begins in March and ends in November, but that schedule may not last forever. Lawmakers in Washington have introduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which would eliminate the need to change clocks and keep the country on the Daylight Saving Time schedule year-round.
While originally introduced in 2018, the bill has gained significant traction in recent years, with the House Energy and Commerce Committee voting 48-1 in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act in May. Additionally, a new bill called the Sunshine for Our Kids Act was introduced on July 9 by Democrat Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon and Republican Rep. Pat Harrigan. Unlike the Sunshine Protection Act, this bill would make standard time the permanent national default instead of Daylight Saving Time.
Supporters of the Sunshine Protection Act argue that, because the change would provide more evening daylight, the bill could boost local businesses, reduce energy use, and possibly lower crime rates. They also point to fewer disruptions in sleep schedules by eliminating the twice-a-year clock change. While the Sunshine Protection Act is starting to see an increase in support, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has publicly opposed a permanent Daylight Saving Time, instead recommending the permanent standard time that the Sunshine for Our Kids Act intends to implement if passed. According to the AASM, darker mornings can negatively affect sleep patterns, increase fatigue, and impact overall health.
There are also the day-today concerns that permanent Daylight Saving Time would mean later sunrises during the winter months. If Daylight Saving Time were implemented permanently, the sun would not rise until well after 8 a.m. in some parts of the country, which could create safety concerns for morning commuters and complicate school schedules.
As of now, no final decision has been made, and for the proposal to become law, it will still need to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the president before any changes take effect.
For now, Americans will have to continue adjusting their clocks each spring and fall, but the future of Daylight Saving Time remains uncertain.