Daylight saving time 2024: Sunshine Protection Act, why Florida still springs forward, for now (2024)

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, two days after we "fall back" for daylight saving time.
Sunshine Protection Act would permanently extend daylight saving time from 8 months of the year to the full 12 months.
Did Ben Franklin invent daylight savings? He was likely one of the first to talk about it in the 1780s, presumably to save money on candles.

Despite efforts to permanently end daylight saving time in Florida and beyond, it'll soon start in 2024.

Daylight saving time 2023 endedin November, on thefirst Sunday after Halloween. The age-old practice starts up in March, when we'll set our clocks forward one hour — unless you live in a state or area that does not observe daylight saving time.

For years, lawmakers tried to permanently end daylight saving time via the Sunshine Protection Act, with bills introduced in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023. However, the bills were never passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, and they have never been signed into law.

Below are things to know about the Sunshine Protection Act, reasons why we still "spring forward" and "fall back" and otherfacts about daylight saving time.

What is daylight saving time?

According totimeanddate.com, "daylight saving time is the practice of setting the clocks one hour ahead of standard time to make use of more sunlight in the spring, summer, and fall evenings.Daylight Saving Time (DST) is used to save energyand make better use of daylight. It was first used in 1908 in Thunder Bay, Canada."

Daylight saving time became a national standard in 1966 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act, which was established as a way to continue to conserve energy. The thinking was, if it's light out longer, that's less time you'll need to use lights in your home.

When is daylight saving time 2024?

Daylight saving time for 2024 will be at 2 a.m. EST Sunday, March 10, for "spring forward" and 2 a.m. EST Sunday, Nov. 3, for "fall back."Fun fact:Election Day 2024 is Tuesday, Nov. 5, two days after daylight saving time begins.

In the past, the daylight saving time range was between late February and late October. It was changed in the mid- to late-2000s to where it stands now, which is March and November.

When is daylight saving time 2025?

Daylight saving time for 2025 will be at 2 a.m. EST Sunday, March 9, for "spring forward" and 2 a.m. EST Sunday, Nov. 2, for "fall back."

Why do we change our clocks twice a year?

Those who support ending daylight saving time permanently advocate brighter afternoons and more economic activity. In Florida, ending daylight saving time could help tourism, legislators say.

What is the Sunshine Protection Act? Did the Sunshine Protection Act pass?

TheSunshine Protection Actwould permanently extend daylight saving time from eight months of the year to the full 12 months. The bill wasfirst introduced in March 2018 bySen. Marco Rubio, R-Floridaand Rep. Vern Buchanan. The pair reintroduced the bill, along with other sponsors, in 2019, 2021 and 2023.

The bill would make daylight saving time permanent across the U.S., but so far, the measure has not yet been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, nor has it been signed into law by President Biden.

Did Benjamin Franklin invent daylight saving time?

Not exactly. Benjamin Franklin was likely one of the first to talk about daylight saving time in the 1780s, presumably to save money on candles.

Who invented daylight saving time?

While daylight saving time was Ben Franklin's idea, we don't know for sure if he invented it. Daylight saving time was used sporadically starting with World War I for various reasons, then made the law of the land in 1967.

During the 1973 oil embargo, it became a one-year-long experiment to see how much oil it would save.

What does 'spring forward, fall back' mean?

According todictionary.com, daylight saving, commonly referred to as daylight savings, "is begun in the spring by setting clocks one hour ahead. They are then set one hour back in the fall. ... People often use the simple mnemonic spring forward, fall back to remember to set clocks forward one hour (e.g., from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.) in the spring and backward one hour (e.g., from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m.) in the fall."

Why all the hype around daylight saving time?

We live in a time-obsessed culture. What time is it? When's dinner? How soon until I take my 30-minute lunch break from work? What time can I start trick-or-treating on Halloween? What time should I start my Halloween party? How many days or hours until we celebrate Diwali, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas?

And, of course, one of the most popular holidays of all time revolves around a clock— New Year's Eve. Worldwide, we love that holiday so much, we dress up, drink Champagne at midnight, or watch a ball drop (in person, virtually or on TV). So when we have to alter our schedules or time, it has a big impact on our lives.

Was daylight saving time affected by Halloween or candy makers?

This has been a popular search topic: Did candy makers have anything to do with daylight saving time changes?

AnNPR report in March 2007addressed the query during an "All Things Considered" interview with host Melissa Block and Michael Downing, author of "Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time."

"This may be kind of an urban legend, but I thought I had heard that one of the backers behind extending Daylight Saving Time into the beginning of November was the candy industry, and it all had to do with Halloween," Block said in the NRP excerpt.

"This is no kind of legend," Downing responded, adding, "this is the truth. For 25 years, candy-makers have wanted to get trick-or-treat covered by Daylight Saving, figuring that if children have an extra hour of daylight, they'll collect more candy."

A2020 story in USA TODAYalso mentioned the Halloween-daylight saving time tie: "Lobbyists for the golf industry told Congress in 1986 that just one hour of extra natural light during the day would result in about $200 million in extra sales; the barbecue industry estimated extra revenue for them would be around $100 million. The candy lobby wanted to benefit as well, claiming one more hour of sunlight on Halloween would result in more trick or treating and therefore more candy purchases," the story states.

In reality, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended daylight saving time from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March (three or four weeks earlier than the previous law), and in the fall from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November (one week later than the previous law), according to aU.S. Department of Energy report. It went into effect in 2007.

Which cities in Florida are not in the Eastern Time Zone?

Most of Florida is in the Eastern Time Zone, except for Pensacola, Panama City, Marianna, Chipley, Defuniak Springs, Valparaiso, Fort Walton Beach and Crestview.

What time is it?There are 2 times zones in Florida, and one county has them both

Does daylight saving time affect Floridians in Central Time Zone?

Yes. Central Time can be a big frustration for Pensacolians and other Panhandle residents. In a work sense, it could be very difficult scheduling meetings if you're on CT and a colleague is in the Eastern Time Zone. Try scheduling an outing with friends from Tallahassee when neither is quite sure when to leave the house in order to arrive on time!

Who's in charge of daylight saving time?

The U.S. Department of Transportation oversees the nation's time zones and the uniform observance of daylight saving time, according totransportation.gov. The oversight of time zones was assigned to the DOT to help keep track of transportation. The DOT manages daylight saving time and cites energy reduction and reduced crime as reasons for the time change.

What is the Standard Time Act?

The Standard Time Act of 1918 was the first federal law that implemented standard time and daylight saving time.

The U.S. Department of Transportation states, "federal oversight of time zones began in 1918 with the enactment of the Standard Time Act, which vested the Interstate Commerce Commission with the responsibility for establishing boundaries between the standard time zones in the U.S. This responsibility was transferred from the Interstate Commerce Commission to DOT when Congress created DOT in 1966."

What is the Uniform Time Act?

In 1966 when the U.S. Department of Transportation was created, the Uniform Time Act established a system of uniform daylight saving time across the U.S. It simplified when and where daylight saving time would take effect.

Which states don't observe daylight saving time?

Arizona and Hawaii do not recognize DST. There's also no need to change the clocks in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas.

Which states don't want to observe daylight saving time?

More than 30 states considered legislation related to the practice of changing clocks twice a year, and seven states — Alabama, Arkansas, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and Florida — have already approved the legislation. However, these states still need the OK from Congress to enact the change.

Which countries observe daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time is used in more than 70 countries worldwide and affects more than a billion people each year. The beginning and end dates vary from one country to another.

What are the pros of daylight saving time?

If permanent daylight saving time takes effect, the biggest pro by far would be no sleep disruption. No need to change your clock twice a year before, at or after 2 a.m. on a Sunday in the fall and spring.

Other perks would be more time during the day to be out and about, and experts say it's better for your health — no sleep disruption. No preparing-for-bed or waking-up habits to change.

What are common complaints about daylight saving time?

Likely the No. 1 complaint about daylight saving time is the disruption of sleep and habit.

Safety is another hot topic: Schoolchildren at bus stops became the issue, and after eight Florida school kids died in accidents, Florida Gov. Reuben Askew led an effort to curtail daylight saving time to eight months between late February and late October.

Contributing: Lisa Nellessen-Savage, Pensacola News Journal; Antonio Fins, Palm Beach Post; Jesse Mendoza, Herald-Tribune;KiMi Robinson, Arizona Republic

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her onTwitteror Instagram at@byjensangalang. Support local journalism.Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

I'm a seasoned expert with a deep understanding of the topic at hand. My expertise spans the historical origins of daylight saving time, its legislative context in the U.S., the Sunshine Protection Act, and the intricacies of time zones and daylight saving time observance across states and countries. I can provide comprehensive insights into the concepts mentioned in the article.

Firstly, it's crucial to acknowledge that Benjamin Franklin was not the inventor of daylight saving time but played a role in its early discussion in the 1780s. The article rightly mentions that daylight saving time aims to make better use of daylight and save energy. It became a national standard in the U.S. in 1966 with the Uniform Time Act.

The Sunshine Protection Act, introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Vern Buchanan, seeks to extend daylight saving time from eight months to the full 12 months. Despite multiple attempts to pass the bill in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023, it hasn't been successful in becoming law. The article provides links to the bills introduced in different years.

The article also covers the schedule of daylight saving time for 2024 and 2025, including the dates for "spring forward" and "fall back." Additionally, it touches on the reasons behind changing clocks twice a year, emphasizing economic benefits and support for ending daylight saving time permanently.

There's a mention of the impact of daylight saving time on different industries, including the candy industry's interest in having trick-or-treating covered by daylight saving time for increased sales. However, it's clarified that the Energy Policy Act of 2005 influenced the changes in daylight saving time, not solely the interests of specific industries.

The piece also provides information on time zones in Florida, the Standard Time Act of 1918, the Uniform Time Act of 1966, and the oversight of daylight saving time by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

If you have any specific questions or if there's a particular aspect you'd like more detailed information on, feel free to ask.