The Daylight Act of 2026 permanently establishes new, fixed standard time offsets across U.S. time zones and repeals Daylight Saving Time.
W. Steube
Representative
FL-17
The Daylight Act of 2026 seeks to establish permanent standard time across the United States by amending existing time zone laws. This legislation would eliminate the practice of observing Daylight Saving Time, meaning clocks would no longer change twice a year. The bill sets specific, permanent offsets from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) for all established time zones.
Daylight Act of 2026 Ends Biannual Clock Changes with New Permanent Time Zone Offsets
The Daylight Act of 2026 is a straightforward piece of legislation that officially kills the practice of 'springing forward' and 'falling back.' Instead of just picking one of our current systems, the bill establishes a permanent standard time for the entire country by amending the Standard Time Act of 1918 and repealing the Uniform Time Act of 1966. If passed, the change kicks in exactly 90 days after it becomes law, meaning the days of hunting for the manual to change the clock on your microwave are numbered.
The Half-Hour Shift
This bill doesn't just stop the clock-switching; it actually recalibrates our time zones relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) using half-hour offsets. For example, under Section 2, the Eastern zone would be permanently set to 3.5 hours behind UTC, and the Pacific zone would be 6.5 hours behind. For most of us, this is a 'split the difference' approach. If you’re a construction worker starting your shift at 7:00 AM, you won't have to deal with the sudden plunge into darkness that usually comes with the autumn clock shift, but you also won't get that extra hour of evening light in the summer that we’re used to under Daylight Saving Time.
Morning Light vs. Evening Vibes
By making standard time permanent, the bill prioritizes morning light. For parents waiting at the bus stop with kids in the winter, this means it’s more likely the sun will be up when the bus arrives. However, there’s a trade-off for the 'after-work' economy. If you run a local retail shop or a golf course, you might see a dip in evening traffic because the sun will set earlier in the summer than it does now. The bill effectively trades that late-June 9:00 PM sunset for a more consistent, year-round rhythm.
The 90-Day Sprint to Sync
Implementation is fast. Section 3 gives the country only 90 days to prepare for the new offsets. This is a massive logistical lift for anyone managing software, logistics, or international business. If you’re a coder or a project manager, you’ll be looking at a tight window to update every scheduling system and server to reflect these new half-hour offsets. While the bill is clear and avoids jargon, the real-world challenge lies in that three-month transition period where every digital calendar and flight schedule in the U.S. has to be re-synced to a brand new standard.