Those hoping that 2026 would be the year that finally ends daylight saving time may be in for a disappointment.
Despite support from President Donald Trump, dozens of states and a bipartisan majority in the House, the Sunshine Protection Act remains stalled in the Senate with Nov. 1 fast approaching. Unless Congress acts soon, Americans will once again set their clocks back an hour when daylight saving time ends this fall.
The legislation would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, ending the twice-yearly clock change that many Americans say they want gone. Yet despite years of debate and growing political support, Congress has repeatedly failed to get a proposal across the finish line.
For now, the clock is ticking. Congress is scheduled to leave for another extended recess on Oct. 5, leaving little time for the Senate to act before clocks will fall back on Nov. 1.
Which states have passed permanent daylight saving time laws?
In total, 19 states have enacted laws to make DST permanent, but these laws cannot go into effect until Congress allows it at the federal level. Some states have been at the forefront of introducing DST legislation, like Florida, which passed the nation’s first law of its kind in 2018.
Others followed in the ensuing years. In 2026, 16 states have introduced 23 bills concerning daylight saving and standard time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Under current federal law, states can opt to observe permanent standard time, as Arizona and Hawaii have, but cannot do the same with DST.
Some states have additional contingencies attached to their laws, like Delaware and Utah, which only enact permanent DST if surrounding states do as well.
- Alabama
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington
- Wyoming
When will Congress vote on permanent daylight saving time?
If Congress is going to stop Americans from changing their clocks on Nov. 1, time is running out.
The Senate returned to Washington on Sept. 14 after a five-week recess, but the Sunshine Protection Act still hasn’t been scheduled for a vote. With no floor action planned and another congressional recess set to begin Oct. 5, lawmakers have little time left to act before daylight saving time ends this fall.
That means Americans are increasingly likely to find themselves doing something many hoped would be a thing of the past: turning their clocks back an hour on Nov. 1.
For now, no Senate vote has been scheduled, and it’s unclear whether the chamber plans to take up the bill at all before clocks fall back. Unless that changes soon, the twice-yearly ritual isn’t going anywhere in 2026.