SB 29, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide. It repeals the temporary period for daylight saving time under the Uniform Time Act of 1966 and amends federal timekeeping law so that the country would no longer switch back to standard time each year. The bill also makes conforming changes to the older federal time statutes that govern time zones and daylight saving time offsets.
The bill includes a limited state-level carveout for states or areas that had already exempted themselves from daylight saving time under existing federal law. Those jurisdictions would be allowed to keep either the new permanent daylight saving time framework or their prior standard-time arrangement, as appropriate under the amended statute. In practical terms, the bill would change federal law governing clocks, time zones, and the annual spring/fall time change, while preserving some flexibility for states that have historically opted out.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would amend the Uniform Time Act of 1966 and related federal time statutes to eliminate the biannual daylight saving time transition and establish permanent daylight saving time as the default national standard. It would affect federal regulation of timekeeping, interstate commerce, transportation scheduling, broadcasting, and other activities that rely on uniform time standards. States and territories that have previously exercised exemptions would retain a narrow choice under the bill’s savings provision, but the overall legal effect would be to preempt the current seasonal clock changes under federal law.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan sponsorship, with senators from both parties listed as cosponsors, suggesting generally favorable or at least interest-driven sentiment around the proposal. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no recorded floor debate or formal vote history in the materials to indicate opposition or support levels beyond the introduction stage. The absence of recorded controversy in the provided context suggests the measure is still at an early procedural stage.
Contention
The main point of contention typically associated with this type of legislation is whether the country should adopt permanent daylight saving time versus permanent standard time, and whether states should retain flexibility to choose their preferred approach. The bill’s text specifically preserves an exemption mechanism for states or areas that had already opted out, which signals sensitivity to state autonomy and regional preferences. Because no committee discussion or votes are included, there is no documented disagreement in the provided record, but the policy tradeoff between public health, safety, and convenience is the likely source of debate.