TAMPA (WFLA) – The U.S. Senate passed a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent across the country. If it passes in the House and is then signed by President Biden would allow Americans to stay in a full year of daylight saving time rather than having to change their clocks in March and November.
Standard time currently runs from the first Sunday in November until the second Sunday in March. The rest of the year we are already in Daylight Saving Time.
The change would mean later sunsets in the winter months, but it would also mean later sunrises.
Key dates and sunrise/sunset times without Standard Time
Here are some of the key sunrise/sunset times in Tampa during the period Standard Time would be eliminated. Sunrise and sunset times are approximate and may change slightly from year to year.
KEY SUNRISE DATES
- First 8 a.m. sunrise: Nov. 27
- Latest sunrise of the year, 8:22 a.m.: Jan. 6
KEY SUNSET DATES
- Earliest sunset of the year, 6:33 p.m.: Nov. 28
- First 7 p.m. sunset: Jan. 20
- Latest sunset of the year: 8:30 p.m. June 27-July 5
OTHER KEY DATES
- Christmas Day: 8:18 a.m. sunrise // 6:41 p.m. sunset
- New Year’s Day: 8:21 a.m. sunrise // 6:45 p.m. sunset
- March 1: 7:54 a.m. sunrise // 7:30 p.m. sunset
Rubio and other Sunshine Protection Act supporters say the bill would reduce crime in the evening hours and encourage more after-school physical activity for kids.
“There’s strong science behind it that is now showing and making people aware of the harm that clock switching has, there’s an increase in heart attacks, car accidents and pedestrian accidents,” he said.
The bill, even if signed, wouldn’t take effect until Nov. 20, 2023, to allow airlines and other industries to prepare.