Sunshine Protection Act Stalls in Senate as Daylight Saving Time Ends November 1

The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act on July 14 with a 308-117 vote to make daylight saving time permanent year-round. The Senate has not moved the bill out of committee as of September 2026, and lawmakers face a tight deadline before daylight saving time ends on November 1. The Senate takes a five-week recess starting October 5, leaving only nine working days to pass the legislation. Without Senate action, the country will fall back to standard time as scheduled.

What the Sunshine Protection Act would do

The bill would eliminate the twice-yearly clock change and keep daylight saving time permanent across most of the United States. Currently, clocks spring forward one hour on the second Sunday of March and fall back one hour on the first Sunday of November. Under the act, daylight saving time would become the standard year-round, meaning sunrise times would shift later in winter months. Hawaii and most of Arizona would remain exempt, as they already stay on standard time.

Why the Senate has not acted

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is holding the bill with limited time before the November 1 deadline. Senate Republicans have not prioritized the measure, focusing instead on college sports, farming, and permitting legislation. The Senate recess starting October 5 further reduces the window for action. The November 3 midterm elections create additional uncertainty, as a shift in Senate control could change the bill’s prospects in a lame-duck session.

Ski resorts and safety concerns block support

Five resort trade groups and two resort companies representing 115 ski areas in 10 states sent a letter to 19 senators on September 10 urging opposition to the bill. The industry argues that permanent daylight saving time would delay sunrise to after 8 a.m. in Colorado, Utah, and Vermont, and later than 9 a.m. at resorts farther west. Ski patrollers, lift mechanics, snowmakers, and groomers work before dawn prepping slopes, and darker mornings pose operational and safety risks. Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia cited concerns about children heading to school in darkness as a reason for her hesitation on the bill.

Public opinion splits on the solution

An October 2025 poll by the Associated Press of 1,289 adults found only 12% of Americans like changing clocks twice a year. A March 2025 Gallup Poll showed 54% of Americans ready to ditch semiannual time changes. However, an AP and NORC poll found 56% preferred permanent daylight saving time while 42% wanted only standard time. The split reflects disagreement over which option serves public health and safety best.

Final Thoughts

With the Senate idle and the November 1 deadline approaching, permanent daylight saving time will not take effect this year. The bill faces bipartisan opposition from ski resorts and safety advocates, and the Senate’s recess timeline makes passage unlikely before the midterm elections.

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