TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A plan that could put all of Florida in the same time zone, while following daylight-saving time throughout the year, is moving at the state capitol.
Daylight-saving time occurs between 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November of each year.
This week, a Senate committee voted in favor of a plan to stop the semi-annual switch from standard to daylight-saving time.
The measure also seeks to put Panhandle counties in the same time zone as the rest of the state.
Currently, most of the Panhandle is now in the Central time zone, while the rest of the state is in the Eastern time zone.
Regarding daylight-saving time, Senate bill sponsor Greg Steube, says moving the clock back and forth each spring and fall is no longer necessary, and it’s hard on families with small children.
“The payoff is, especially for families with young children, that they don’t have to deal with their kids having to deal with falling back and having trouble getting to school and doing all of those things,” said Steube.
The House version of the bill, which does not include changing the Panhandle’s time zone, passed its first committee on Wednesday.
Even if the proposal receives approval from the full Legislature, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Congress would both have to act for the changes to occur.
Under the Senate bill, dubbed the “Sunshine Protection Act,” the U.S. transportation secretary would have to initiate rulemaking to redesignate the portions of Florida that currently lie within the Central time zone to the Eastern time zone.
Congress would also have to approve legislation to allow the state to remain under year-round daylight-saving time.
