With the approach of March 9, 2025, which would call for setting clocks one hour ahead as Texas prepares for daylight saving time (DST), lawmakers are hastening their efforts to put an end to this semiannual charade. Recent legislative outreach to keep Texas time consistent year-round has emphasized health and safety along with economic arguments.
In the current legislative session, Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, introduced Senate Bill 64, advocating for Texas to observe standard time throughout the entire year. This approach aligns with the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which permits states to exempt themselves from DST but does not allow for permanent DST without federal approval. Zaffirini’s proposal also includes a provision for a statewide referendum, enabling voters to express their preference for either permanent standard time or DST, should Congress authorize the latter.
Zaffirini told Austin American-Statesman, “The twice-a-year clock change is disruptive and unnecessary. Studies have linked these shifts to increased traffic accidents, negative health effects, and decreased productivity.”
At the same time, Representative Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, filed House Bill 1393 to make daylight-saving time the permanent time in Texas. However, to enact this, a change in federal law is necessary because, under the current law, no state can have daylight-saving time all year round.
As many have commented already, this conversation seems to be heating. The Sunshine Protection Act, which was filed by Senator Marco Rubio, R-Florida, aimed to make DST permanent across the nation and passed through the Senate unanimously in 2022. The bill stalled in the House of Representatives, wherein a split grew regarding preference for permanent standard time or DST; thus, there were no resolutions, as reported by Reuters .
President Donald Trump has also stated his desire to eradicate DST, referring to it as “quite inconvenient and very costly to our Nation.” He has made commitments that his administration will act toward abolishing DST, although detailed plans have yet to be laid out.
The debate over DST encompasses various health and safety concerns. Research indicates that the transitions into and out of DST can disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to increased risks of heart attacks, strokes, and sleep disorders. Additionally, studies have shown a rise in traffic accidents following the spring transition, attributed to sleep deprivation and decreased alertness.
Austin American-Statesman also reported that experts like Erik Herzog, a professor of biology and neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis, holds that it is more compatible with human biological clocks. “The medical and scientific communities agree… that permanent standard time is better for human health,” Herzog noted.
Public sentiment appears to favor ending the practice of changing clocks. An October 2021 Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that about 43% of Americans support year-round standard time, 32% prefer permanent DST, and 25% wish to maintain the current system.
While Texas legislators consider the bills, their decisions may set a precedent for other states facing similar issues. For now, Texans should set things forward in the spring on March 9, 2025, while keeping a watchful eye on developments within the legislature that may eventually do-away with this age-old practice.
