We have been spinning our wheels on this for years, but the clock is finally ticking.
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Sunshine Protection Act. This bipartisan bill aims to permanently lock our clocks in daylight saving time (DST) and end the biannual ritual of changing them. Supported by Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan and backed by President Donald Trump, the bill has suddenly gained serious momentum. In May, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced the legislation with an overwhelming 48-1 vote.
But here is the catch. Most Californians believe that if Congress passes this bill, we will automatically get what we voted for back in 2018: eternal, sunny summer evenings.
That is flat-out wrong.
The reality is much messier, far more controversial, and could end up plunging California mornings into pitch-black darkness until nearly 8:30 AM in the dead of winter. If Congress actually passes this bill, California will face a brutal choice. Do we accept the federally mandated permanent daylight saving time, or do we pull an Arizona and opt out to stay on permanent standard time instead?
Let's look at what is actually on the table and why this issue is not as simple as just getting an extra hour of light to play golf.
The Sudden Rush to Lock the Clock in July 2026
The dream of "locking the clock" has failed in Washington before. In 2022, the Senate passed a similar version of the Sunshine Protection Act, only for it to die a quiet death in the House because lawmakers could not agree on the details. This time, the pressure is different.
The House is taking up the bill as part of a broader legislative package. The newest draft allows a crucial safety valve: states that want to opt out of permanent daylight saving time can choose to remain on permanent standard time instead. This is how Hawaii and Arizona currently operate. They do not change their clocks because they chose standard time decades ago.
Proponents of the federal bill, like California Senator Alex Padilla, argue that later sunsets are a win-win. Padilla has noted that more evening daylight means more active, safer communities and a welcome boost to local businesses.
But that extra hour of evening light is not free. It is borrowed from the morning.
The Ghost of Proposition 7
To understand why California is in such a strange position, we have to look back to 2018. That year, California voters approved Proposition 7 by a massive 60% margin.
Prop 7 gave the state Legislature the authority to put California on permanent daylight saving time. But it had a major roadblock built in. Under federal law, states can opt out of daylight saving time to stay on permanent standard time, but they are legally forbidden from adopting permanent daylight saving time on their own.
Because Congress never changed the federal law, Proposition 7 has sat on a shelf gathering dust for eight years.
If the Sunshine Protection Act passes this week, that federal barrier vanishes. But that does not mean California's path is clear. The state Legislature still must vote by a two-thirds majority to officially make the change. And in the years since Prop 7 passed, the political winds in Sacramento have shifted dramatically.
Why Sleep Scientists are Terrified of Year-Round Daylight Saving
The loudest opposition to permanent daylight saving time does not come from politicians. It comes from the scientific community.
When the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 48-1 on the bill, the lone dissenting vote came from a California representative: Nanette Barragán. Her reasoning was simple. Sleep and medical experts have repeatedly warned that permanent daylight saving time is a biological disaster.
Our bodies rely on morning sunlight to set our internal circadian clocks. When we "spring forward" in March, we do not just lose an hour of sleep; we disrupt our natural rhythm.
Jamie Zeitzer, a Stanford University sleep researcher, points out that the darker mornings and brighter evenings of permanent daylight saving time actively weaken the human circadian clock. His research and many other biological studies show that standard time aligns far better with human biology.
Consider what winter would look like under permanent daylight saving time:
- In San Francisco, the sun would not rise until 8:25 AM in late December and early January.
- In Los Angeles, sunrise would be delayed until roughly 7:58 AM.
- School children would walk to school or wait at bus stops in freezing, pitch-black darkness.
- Workers would start their morning commutes long before dawn, which safety experts warn could lead to an increase in early morning traffic accidents.
We actually tried this once. In 1974, during an energy crisis, the U.S. implemented permanent daylight saving time as an experiment. It was supposed to last two years. Public outrage over dark winter mornings and safety concerns for children was so intense that Congress repealed the law after just eight months.
The Economic Tug-of-War
If science favors standard time, why is Congress so obsessed with permanent daylight saving time?
Follow the money.
The business community is deeply divided, but the factions lobby hard. Retailers, golf course owners, and the tourism industry love permanent daylight saving time. Later sunsets encourage people to stop by shops, eat at outdoor restaurants, and squeeze in nine holes of golf after work. It keeps the cash registers ringing.
On the other side, agricultural groups and the airline industry generally despise it. Farmers do not care what the clock says; they work by the sun. Darker mornings mean delayed harvests and logistical headaches. For airlines, coordinating international flights becomes a nightmare when local time zones shift permanently.
California's Dilemma
Because of these conflicting interests, California lawmakers are split.
State Senator Roger Niello has spent years trying to move California in the opposite direction. He introduced Senate Bill 1197, which aims to bypass the federal debate entirely by placing the state on permanent standard time. Niello's argument is that we need to "ditch the switch" immediately for public health reasons.
But Niello also knows he faces an uphill battle. To hedge his bets, his current bill contains a provision: if the federal government forces the issue and adopts permanent daylight saving time, California will conform to prevent the state from being out of sync with the rest of the country.
It is a massive game of chicken.
If Congress passes the Sunshine Protection Act, California will have to decide quickly. Do we listen to the sleep scientists, buck the national trend, and opt out to stay on permanent standard time? Or do we go with the flow, please the business lobby, and accept later winter mornings?
How to Prepare for the Looming Shift
While the politicians argue, you can actually take steps to protect your sleep schedule and daily routine from whatever happens next.
- Invest in a sunrise alarm clock: If we transition to permanent daylight saving time, your winter mornings will be dark. A wake-up light that gradually mimics a natural sunrise can help signal your brain to wake up, even when it is pitch black outside.
- Audit your morning commute: Think about your winter travel. If you walk, run, or bike to work early in the morning, start looking into high-visibility gear and active lighting now.
- Voice your opinion: Your local state representatives will ultimately have to vote on whether California adopts permanent DST or stays on standard time. Reach out to your local assemblymember and state senator to let them know where you stand on the health risks versus the economic benefits.
The era of changing our clocks twice a year is likely coming to an end. But the battle over whether we choose the light of the morning or the light of the evening is just getting started.
