Can 'time change' legislation be passed?
Every fall, we enjoy an extra hour of sleep, but come spring, we lose it. With debates in Washington on time changes, are we any closer to a solution?
LEARN MOREPosted: 12:09 p.m. EDT Oct 30, 2023
Millions of Americans will turn their clocks back by one hour this weekend.
Daylight Saving Time will end on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 2 a.m.
Nearly all regions in the U.S. observe this annual change, with the exception of Hawaii, parts of Arizona and American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Most of Canada, Europe, parts of Australia and Chile and Paraguay in South America also follow the patterns of DST, and will adjust their clocks.
In the Northern Hemisphere, most countries make their changes either on the last Sunday in October, or the first Sunday in November.
In the contiguous U.S., the observance of DST was first adopted to make the scheduling of railroad traffic easier. Adherence to DST was made a legal requirement in 1966, and the then-newly-created Department of Transportation took over management and oversight of U.S. time zones.
In recent years, U.S. lawmakers have introduced bills that would eliminate the changing of clocks and instead observe Daylight Saving Time year-round.
In March, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Sunshine Protection Act, which they say could have wide-ranging societal benefits, from improving the amount of daylight residents get to cutting down crime rates and reducing energy usage. However, the bill has been stuck in committees.
A poll in 2022 found that a majority of Americans would prefer to stay on DST all year.
