What happened to Florida's plan for permanent Daylight Saving Time?
((Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images))
ORLANDO, Fla. - The end of Daylight Saving Time is fast approaching, which means an extra hour of sleep this weekend.
We'll ‘fall back’ at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7. The clock shift means brighter mornings for early risers with sunrise is moving back to 6:42 a.m.
The drive home from work will be darker though, with sunset moving back to 5:36 p.m.
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Your cellphone will automatically adjust to the correct time, but as you change the clocks around the house, like on your microwave, it's a good time to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms too!
According to the Becker Law Office, smoke detector batteries should be changed about every 6 months, so you should get in the habit of changing them when Daylight Saving Time rolls around.
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But wait a minute: what happened to talks of making Daylight Saving Time a permanent thing? Well, the plans have been delayed due to a lack of federal approval.
Earlier this year, Florida Senator Marco Rubio reintroduced the 'Sunshine Protection Act,' which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the country. This reportedly reflects the Florida legislature's 2018 enactment of year-round Daylight Saving Time.
However, the change can only happen if a federal version of the Sunshine Protection Act is passed and signed into law, which it has yet to be.
"The bill reflects the Florida legislature’s 2018 enactment of year-round DST; however, for Florida’s change to apply, a change in the federal statute is required," a press release from Rubio's office said in March.
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Fifteen other states — Arkansas, Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming — have passed similar laws.
"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."
Daylight Saving Time will begin again in 2022 on Sunday, March 13 when we ‘spring forward.’
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