Time to Ditch the Switch

On July 14, by a strong 308-117 vote, the House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act. If enacted, the legislation would make daylight saving time permanent year-round, ending the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain.

The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan, is backed by President Donald Trump and proponents who argue that permanent daylight saving time boosts local businesses, encourages outdoor activities, and reduces traffic accidents. Meanwhile, opponents and aviation groups, such as Airlines for America, have raised concerns regarding major logistical disruptions and the safety risks of having schoolchildren wait for buses in the dark during winter mornings.

The Senate previously passed a similar measure unanimously in 2022, though it died in the House at the time. Rather than party politics, the Senate bottleneck is driven by a deep geographic divide over late winter sunrises (in the western part of a time zone) and heavy pushback from health experts (who prefer permanent Standard Time).

Between the Lines: It’s a sad state of affairs when adjusting the clock is our nation's biggest legislative hurdle. Extra winter sunshine would do wonders for everyone's seasonal depression. Let’s just hope Hartford doesn’t sue to block it—CT AG Tong is probably drafting the paperwork right now.

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