As daylight saving time (DST) comes to an end on November 2, 2023, many Americans will enjoy an extra hour of sleep. At 2 a.m. on that Sunday, clocks across the United States will “fall back” one hour. While most states adhere to this twice-yearly adjustment, Arizona and Hawaii stand out as the only states that do not observe DST, maintaining their clocks year-round.
The federal government mandates the use of daylight saving time through the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which permits states to opt out and remain on standard time. However, the law does not allow for permanent adherence to daylight saving time, which would keep states an hour ahead from November to March while others revert to standard time.
Over the past several years, there has been a growing movement among states to make daylight saving time permanent, often referred to as “locking the clock.” According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 18 states have passed legislation or resolutions in favor of year-round daylight saving time. In 2025, at least 31 states are considering similar measures, indicating a significant shift in public sentiment regarding time changes.
Efforts to enact permanent daylight saving time face a crucial hurdle: any state law cannot take effect without a repeal of the federal act. This means that while many states have shown interest, they await action from Congress to implement their changes. Notably, Marco Rubio, a former senator, introduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to establish permanent DST nationwide. Despite gaining some support, previous versions of the bill have failed to advance through Congress.
State-by-State Overview of Daylight Saving Time Legislation
The legislative landscape regarding daylight saving time varies widely across the country. Some states have robust support for year-round DST, while others have proposed measures to eliminate it altogether.
In Florida, the first state to pass a resolution for year-round DST in 2018, the law awaits congressional approval to take effect. Similarly, Georgia enacted legislation to adopt permanent daylight saving time, contingent upon federal action.
Conversely, states like California and Colorado have attempted to pass bills for year-round DST but have faced legislative challenges. California voters approved a proposition for the legislature to act, yet recent attempts to pass related legislation have faltered.
Some states, such as Connecticut and Maryland, have introduced measures to drop daylight saving time in favor of Atlantic Standard Time, but these proposals have yet to gain traction.
Efforts to adopt standard time year-round are also underway. In Alabama, a bill passed in 2021 to observe DST permanently is pending federal approval. Meanwhile, states like Idaho and Missouri have also proposed similar legislation, but progress remains slow.
States such as New York and Virginia are exploring options to either maintain DST or shift to standard time permanently, reflecting a broader trend towards evaluating the efficacy of biannual clock changes.
Despite widespread interest, the path forward remains unclear. Until Congress acts to amend the Uniform Time Act of 1966, most state initiatives will remain in limbo. As the debate continues, millions of Americans will prepare to reset their clocks once again, caught in a cycle of seasonal time changes that many find inconvenient.
With growing public support for permanent daylight saving time, the coming years may see renewed efforts at both state and federal levels to reshape how time is observed across the nation. Until then, states will have to navigate the complexities of federal law while responding to the preferences of their residents.
