Americans are one step closer to ending the twice-yearly clock changes after the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide.
According to the Wyoming News Exchange and Powell Tribune, the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act on Tuesday, July 14 by a 308-117 vote. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
If approved by the Senate and signed into law by the president, the legislation would eliminate the practice of changing clocks each spring and fall. Instead, daylight saving time would remain in effect year-round.
Supporters of the legislation say ending the seasonal time changes would provide greater consistency for families and businesses while eliminating the disruptions associated with changing clocks twice a year.
For residents across the Bighorn Basin, no immediate changes are expected. Clocks will still “fall back” this autumn unless the bill is approved by the Senate and signed into law.
The proposal has renewed discussion across Wyoming about whether the state should continue changing clocks twice each year, but the current system will remain in place unless the legislation completes the federal legislative process.