The United States Senate, in a unanimous voice vote today (March 15), passed a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.
Per multiple outlets, including Reuters and NBC News, the Sunshine Protection Act stated the change wouldn’t begin until 2023 if it’s passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law by President Joe Biden. The bill will head to the House, but it’s not yet known when a vote on the bill will take place. Reuters, however, did note, “The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on the issue this month.”
NBC News also noted, “Daylight Saving Time started in the U.S. in 1918 as a way to create more daylight hours during warmer months. It was extended by four weeks starting in 2007. States are not required to follow daylight saving time — Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe it.”
Making Daylight Saving Time permanent has been a long-debated topic with those in favor citing a number of impacts from how it affects sleeping patterns of children and pets to the slight increase of heart attacks and strokes following the time change.
Once news of the vote began to circulate, “Sunshine Protection Act” became the number one trending topic on Twitter. Here are some notable reactions to the news.
