Clocks in the United States might “fall back” for the final time in November if legislators vote to make daylight saving time permanent.
Several states have enacted legislation in support of never again switching the clocks an hour backward, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Whether it happens depends on when and how the U.S. House of Representatives votes on Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio’s Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, and any changes to daylight saving time would not take effect until next year.
Here’s what to know about what could be in store for daylight saving time:
When does daylight saving time end?
Daylight saving time starts annually in the U.S. on the second Sunday in March, when clocks move ahead – or “spring forward” – by an hour, and the period ends on November’s first Sunday each year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
It ends – meaning clocks will “fall back” one hour – at 2 a.m. local time on Nov. 6.
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What’s the purpose of daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time, which is regulated by the Department of Transportation in the U.S., was initially introduced during World War I by Germany in 1916, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
The idea was to conserve power and fuel by making daylight last longer, according to the Bureau. The U.S. adopted daylight saving time in 1918 but abolished it nationwide after the war, though it was allowed on a state-by-state basis, the Bureau reported.
When the Department of Transportation was founded in 1966, it was granted regulatory power over daylight saving time and time zones. Only Arizona, Hawaii and U.S. territories including Puerto Rico permanently observe standard time.
A Department of Energy study found the extra four weeks of daylight saving time saved around 0.5% in total electricity daily in the U.S., equalling energy savings of 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours annually.
The federal 1966 Uniform Time Act, which became law because of the random way states had been observing daylight saving time up until then, has been a roadblock for supporters of year-round daylight saving time. The act allows states either to change clocks to daylight saving time at a specified time and date or remain on standard time all year.
What happens when Congress votes on daylight saving time?
If the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021 becomes law, the bill would make daylight saving time the new, permanent standard time as of Nov. 5, 2023. That means once clocks spring forward next March, they would not change in November of next year.
The Senate voted unanimously to pass the bill on March 15. The bill now awaits a House vote.
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“It’s unclear if the House will vote this year, given everything else on the agenda once they return after the elections,” Ben Husch, natural resources and infrastructure committee director for the National Conference of State Legislatures, told USA TODAY in an email.
Which states want permanent daylight saving time?
As of 2022, at least 28 states have introduced legislation in support of establishing year-round daylight saving time, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported.
Nearly every state has introduced bills and resolutions addressing daylight saving time since 2015, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In 2018, Florida became the first state to pass legislation permanently observing daylight saving time, pending it is allowed by federal law.
“Because federal law does not currently allow full-time daylight saving time, Congress would have to act before states could adopt changes,” Jim Reed, the environment, energy and transportation director for the National Conference of State Legislatures, told USA TODAY.
Wait, isn’t it ‘daylight savings time?’
No. “Daylight saving time” is the correct form of the term despite the common use of “daylight savings time.”
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