Daylight Saving Time started again this year in the United States, and there is once again a heated debate about whether it should happen or not. After October 31, a lot of people will be wondering if this change is the last one. Well, that could definitely change.
For those who think it is not needed, the U.S. government is still required by the Uniform Time Act of 1966 to “promote the adoption and observance of uniform time within the standard time zones.”
This means that Daylight Saving Time must still be observed around the country.
In the U.S., some states have passed laws that let them avoid following federal law. Still, the law will need to be changed at the federal level for it to make a difference.
Which states follow Daylight Saving Time in the United States? Â
There are some parts of the country where federal law is not followed, even though most states follow it. U.S. territories like Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not use daylight saving time. This is fine, though, since they are not in the United States itself.
Hawaii does not observe it either, but since it is an island and not really part of the country, it is not a big deal.
The trouble starts in Arizona, which is in the continental United States and has different police departments. DST is used in the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, but not in the rest of the state.
19 states, including Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Louisiana, Utah, and Oregon, have passed laws about Daylight Saving Time so far. In the next few years, many more may start to do the same.
The “Sunshine Protection Act,” which was passed in 2018, wants to keep the country on daylight saving time. This would, among other things, lower the risk of seasonal depression, cut down on theft and other crimes, help farmers, and use less energy.
Even though the bill had enough support for it to be introduced and pass unanimously in 2022, it was never signed by either the U.S. House of Representatives or President Joe Biden. This stopped the process and stopped the bill from going into effect.
What this means is that things will stay the same for now. Daylight Saving Time will begin again on March 9, 2025. There may be more good things about this change than bad.
