WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The biannual ritual of changing our clocks could become a thing of the past if senators get their way.
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. It's not law yet, since it still needs to pass the House.
We gain an hour, we lose an hour. It happens every year.
"We don’t need it anymore," said West Palm Beach resident Ross Carter.
Ross and Elizabeth Carter are married and have different opinions when it comes to Daylight Saving Time.
"It messes up our circadian rhythm. Which controls, you know, when we eat, when we go to sleep, all those things are so important. When we change it all of a sudden, it could really put a dramatic strain on our bodies," said Ross Carter.
"ou have more activity to do. You have more fun. In the afternoon, you have an amazing sunset, so definitely don't change it. Keep it that way," said Elizabeth Carter.
Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is gaining momentum in Washington, D.C. The Senate has passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would do just that. Now it's on to U.S. House.
For Juan Orellana, his sleeping pattern gets thrown off with the change every year
"It actually affects me about a week of sleep deprivation and I feel dragged along this whole week," Orellana said, while admitting that Daylight Saving Time should remain. "It's a positive change and we should stay with Daylight Savings Time."
If the law is passed, the change will take effect in November 2023, which gives people time to adjust to the stopping of the adjusting of clocks.
WPTV First Alert Meteorologist Kate Wentzel explains what would happen if it does become law.
"If we would stick with Daylight Saving Time, in the mid-winter, sunrise would be at 8:10 a.m. So for a lot of folks their first couple hours in the morning would be in the dark. But then you have the benefit at sunset and it's at 6:45 p.m., so it doesn't get dark as early. But take a look at if we kept standard time in mid-summer, the sun would get up early at 5:30 but look at sunset, its at 7:17 in the summer. That kind of takes away the daylight at the end of the day," Wentzel said.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time.
