Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is doubling down on his long-standing mission to end the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks, advocating for his bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent across the United States.
During a U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing titled If I Could Turn Back Time: Should We Lock the Clock? on April 10, 2025, Scott emphasized the benefits of “locking the clock” once and for all, a move that has garnered support from President Donald Trump, who has publicly endorsed ending the time change practice.
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The Sunshine Protection Act, a bipartisan and bicameral effort, aims to establish DST as the year-round standard, eliminating the spring forward and fall back that Americans have endured since the Uniform Time Act of 1966 standardized the practice.
Scott’s crusade isn’t new. As Florida’s governor in 2018, he signed state legislation to exempt Florida from the time change, allowing the state to remain on DST year-round—pending federal approval that never came.
Now, Scott is taking that fight national. “Americans are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year—it’s an unnecessary, decades-old practice that’s more of an annoyance to families than a benefit,” Scott said during the hearing, echoing sentiments he’s voiced since introducing the bill in January 2025. He argues that permanent DST would bring more evening sunlight, boosting public health, economic productivity, and family time outdoors.
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President Trump’s backing adds significant momentum. On April 11, 2025, Scott highlighted Trump’s support, noting the president’s clear stance on ending the biannual time shift. Trump has previously signaled willingness to sign such a bill, as he did in 2018 when an earlier version of the Sunshine Protection Act was proposed by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).
In 2022, the Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, but it stalled in the House.
A 2023 YouGov poll found that 62% of Americans favor ending clock changes, though opinions split on whether to adopt permanent DST (50%) or permanent standard time (31%). Proponents of DST, like Scott, highlight benefits like brighter evenings, which could boost local businesses and reduce seasonal depression.
The bill includes prominent co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle, such as Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ed Markey (D-MA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), among others.
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