Where U.S. states stand on permanent daylight saving time
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As another daylight saving time (DST) draws to an end Sunday morning, nearly half of U.S. states have moved towards permanent DST.
Why it matters: The biannual clock shifting is a constant point of debate among Americans, with some preferring more daylight in the morning and others in the evening (as DST provides).
The big picture: Lawmakers or voters in 20 states have approved some form of permanent daylight saving time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
- But states can only adopt permanent DST with an act of Congress, meaning these measures are effectively moot absent federal action.
Flashback: The U.S. Senate passed a permanent DST bill back in 2022, but it sat idle thereafter — and even the Senate version passed in controversial fashion.
The intrigue: Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, have year-round standard time.
- California voters approved permanent DST back in 2018 via ballot measure, but state lawmakers there haven't yet passed the required legislation.
- Many states that have passed measures related to permanent DST are still sorting out how it would actually work — and some have passed it contingent on neighboring states following suit.
The bottom line: Whether or not we muck with the clocks, there will always be less total daylight for us Northern Hemisphere dwellers in the winter — you can't fight orbital mechanics.
