WNC -- July 23, 2026: For the first time in years, legislation that would eliminate the twice-yearly clock change has gained significant momentum in Washington. The U.S. House of Representatives has approved the Sunshine Protection Act by a bipartisan vote of 308-117, sending the measure to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
If approved by the Senate and signed by the President the legislation would make Daylight Saving Time permanent, ending the long-standing practice of "springing forward" each March and "falling back" each November.
While many Americans support ending the clock changes, the proposal faces a more uncertain future in the Senate, where lawmakers remain divided over the potential impact on public safety and daily life.
Where the Bill Stands
The House has completed its work, but the Senate has not yet scheduled a vote on the legislation.
Even with broad bipartisan support, the bill faces procedural hurdles in the Senate, where supporters may need enough votes to overcome objections before the measure can receive final approval. Senate leaders have not announced when—or if—the legislation will be brought to the floor.
Should the Senate approve the bill, it would then move to President Trump, who has publicly expressed support for ending the twice-yearly time change.
With Congress expected to focus on appropriations, budget negotiations, and other major legislative priorities before its fall recess, it remains uncertain whether lawmakers will have time to act on the measure this year. While passage before autumn is possible, many observers believe the Senate timetable makes a delay into a later legislative session more likely.
What Would Change?
If the bill becomes law, Americans would no longer change their clocks twice each year. Instead, the nation would remain on Daylight Saving Time year-round.
For most people, that means:
• One hour more daylight during winter evenings.
• One hour less daylight during winter mornings.
• No more "spring forward" or "fall back."
What It Means for North Carolina
For North Carolinians, the change would be especially noticeable during December and January.
Instead of sunrise occurring around 7:30 a.m., many communities would not see sunrise until approximately 8:30 a.m. or later. In Asheville, for example, the latest winter sunrise would occur at approximately 8:35 a.m.
The tradeoff would be significantly more daylight during the late afternoon and early evening, allowing residents to leave work with daylight remaining throughout much of the winter.
What It Means for Western North Carolina
For residents of Asheville, Waynesville, Hendersonville, Brevard, Boone, and surrounding mountain communities, the proposal presents both benefits and concerns.
Supporters point to later sunsets that would provide additional daylight for shopping, dining, youth sports, hiking, recreation, and tourism. Businesses that depend on evening customer traffic could also benefit from an extra hour of daylight after work.
Opponents focus on the morning hours. During portions of December and January, many school children would be waiting for buses before sunrise, and commuters would be traveling to work on dark roads. Those concerns may be especially significant in Western North Carolina, where winding mountain roads, shaded valleys, and rural school bus routes already present unique winter driving challenges.
Why Some Support the Bill
Supporters argue that permanent Daylight Saving Time would eliminate the inconvenience of changing clocks twice each year, provide more daylight after work for families and outdoor recreation, benefit retailers, restaurants, tourism, and other businesses that depend on evening activity, and improve quality of life by giving people additional daylight during their free time.
Many Americans have expressed frustration with the current system, regardless of whether they prefer permanent Standard Time or permanent Daylight Saving Time.
Why Others Oppose It
Opposition today is centered less on changing clocks and more on winter morning safety.
Critics argue that darker mornings could increase risks for schoolchildren, pedestrians, cyclists, and commuters who would begin their day before sunrise. Safety organizations have raised concerns that the darkest part of the morning commute would coincide with increased traffic as people travel to work and school.
Does It Save Energy?
Historically, Daylight Saving Time was promoted as a way to conserve electricity by reducing evening lighting use.
Modern research suggests the picture is much different today.
While homes and businesses might use less lighting during the evening, they would likely use more lighting during darker winter mornings. Lighting now accounts for a much smaller share of residential electricity use than it did decades ago, while heating, cooling, water heating, appliances, and electronics consume significantly more energy.
As a result, most modern research concludes that permanent Daylight Saving Time would likely have little overall effect on total electricity consumption. Any energy savings are expected to be relatively small and would largely shift electricity use from the evening to the morning rather than dramatically reducing overall demand.
What Happens Next?
For now, Americans should still expect to change their clocks this fall.
Until the Senate approves the legislation and the president signs it into law, the current system remains unchanged.
The Sunshine Protection Act has cleared one major hurdle, but its future now rests with the Senate. Whether lawmakers choose to move the bill before Congress leaves for its fall recess remains uncertain.
For millions of Americans, including residents throughout Western North Carolina, the debate has evolved beyond simply changing the clocks. Today, the central question is whether the benefits of lighter winter evenings outweigh the concerns surrounding darker winter mornings for schoolchildren, commuters, and public safety.