WASHINGTON (WFLA) — Marco Rubio, Rick Scott and six other United States senators reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act Tuesday, a bill that would make daylight saving time (DST) permanent across the country.
Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 14, and lasts until Sunday, Nov. 7. It requires most of the country to ‘spring’ their clocks forward one hour, extending the amount of daylight at the end of each day.
Florida enacted year-round DST in 2018, but for the change to apply, a change in the federal statute is required.
“The call to end the antiquated practice of clock changing is gaining momentum throughout the nation,” Rubio said. “Studies have shown many benefits of a year-round Daylight Saving Time, which is why the Florida legislature voted to make it permanent in 2018. I’m proud to reintroduce this bipartisan bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, and give our nation’s families more stability throughout the year.”
Proponents of the bill say more daylight in the evenings results in fewer car crashes, fewer robberies, more children playing outside, and less energy usage.
Opponents of the bill say DST makes it hard on school children and parents who have to wait at the bus stop in dark hours of the morning.