Maloy introduces federal legislation to allow daylight saving time year-round
Mar 6, 2025, 3:00 PM
FILE: The Zions Bank clock on Main Street in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Congresswoman Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, has introduced new federal legislation that would allow states to stay on daylight saving time year round, doing away with changing the clocks twice a year.
Maloy’s legislation would allow states to stay on daylight saving time or the summertime schedule we currently have, year round if they choose.
In a news release, Maloy said staying on daylight saving time would lead to lower energy costs, better health, a boosted economy, and safer communities.
Related: How springing forward to daylight saving time could affect your health — and how to prepare
Current federal law only allows Utah, for example, to observe Mountain Standard time year round.
Utah lawmakers also targeting daylight saving time
Rep. Joseph Elison, R-Toquerville, sponsored a bill this legislative session to allow Utahns to stop changing the clocks.
Elison said he supports what Maloy is trying to do. But he said he’s concerned about previous experience with changing the clocks in 1974.
“We tried going to savings time for a two-year period and most of America didn’t like that,” Elison said. “And so I still am concerned about that. But I do support the move to listen to the voice of the people.”
Many people, especially parents of young kids, supported ending the time change hassle.
“Parents like me who are forced to ruin and reset routines and sleep schedules twice a year,” said parent Dustin James Harper.
A recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found more than 80% of Utahns support not having to change the clocks anymore.
Elison’s bill was put on hold and didn’t get through the Utah Senate.
