By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

A piece of legislation that would end the twice yearly time change, and make Daylight Saving Time permanent year-round, has cleared another key hurdle.

The Sunshine Protection Act (HR 139) by U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) passed the U.S. House of Representatives in a 308-117 vote Tuesday, July 14.

“This commonsense legislation reflects what Americans have been saying for years: It’s time to lock the clock and make Daylight Saving Time permanent,” Buchanan said.

Daylight Saving Time is the period when the nation moves clocks forward one hour each year in the summer.

It is the opposite of standard time, which is observed throughout the winter months.

“Permanent Daylight Saving Time will improve public safety, promote healthier and more active lifestyles and give families more daylight to enjoy after work and school,” Buchanan said.

Across the nation, 19 states have passed legislation that would also “lock the clock,” including Texas.

In 2025, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that would create “Texas Time,” and put the state on Daylight Saving Time permanently.  However, the legislation could not take effect due to federal law that states Daylight Saving Time must begin and end on federally mandated dates.

The Sunshine Protection Act would allow that bill to take effect.

It would also, according to Buchanan’s office, allow states to opt out of permanent Daylight Saving Time and instead use permanent standard time. Opt out legislation would have to be passed through each state’s respective legislatures before the bill is enacted.

The legislation has 34 cosponsors in the U.S. House, including U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, who spoke in favor of the bill on the House floor.

“The bottom line to this is the whole ‘spring forward, fall back’ is something that impacts every single American,” Sessions said. “It impacts people when they go to work. It impacts people as they try and find time to play with their children at night—just a little bit extra time. It helps people who have retinal or eye issues to be able to see more clearly for longer from the time they get up until the time they work their way home.”

He said the American people are asking Congress to standardize the time so people can accomplish more in the daylight rather than the dark.

“It is big in Texas because we spend a lot of time outside, but I want to reiterate to the American people, we are listening,” Sessions said.

Thirty of the 37 members of the Texas delegation in the U.S. House voted in favor of the legislation.

Two Republicans and five Democrats from Texas voted against the bill.

The Sunshine Protection Act has been introduced by Buchanan each Congress since 2018.

In 2022, the bill passed through the U.S. Senate but was not picked up by the U.S. House.

It now awaits consideration again in the U.S. Senate.

A bill that would make standard time permanent year-round has also been introduced in Congress.

It’s the Sunshine for Our Kids Act by U.S. Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) and Pat Harrigan (R-NC).