(CNN) – Following the lead of his home state of Florida, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio introduced the Sunshine Protection Act to the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.
The bill would make daylight saving time permanent across the country or give Florida permission to do it there.
Rubio said daylight saving time is better for farmers, reduces traffic accidents, and leads to healthier lifestyles.
On Tuesday, Florida's Senate passed a bill that seeks to keep daylight saving time all year in the state.
It took lawmakers less than a minute to approve the bill and there were only two dissenting votes.
But even if the governor signs the bill, daylight saving time is mandated federally by the Uniform Time Act of 1966.
Currently, only Hawaii and most of Arizona are exempt from the Uniform Time Act. The two state remain on standard time all year, not daylight saving time.
However, Rep. Ted Deutch, D-FL, who represents the district where Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is located, showed his displeasure for the bill on CNN Thursday morning.
“I will not debate the merits of extending daylight saving time year-round," Deutch said. "That is not a serious debate we should be having a month after 17 people were slaughtered in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It's crazy."
Students across the country walked out of class Wednesday for 17 minutes to honor the victims, and to call for gun control laws. Students are expected to march on the U.S. Capitol on March 24.
Rubio has said he doesn't support sweeping gun control legislation, but did appear on at CNN town hall with the Parkland shooting survivors to discuss the issue.
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