Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith from Mississippi has reiterated her support for making Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent in the United States. On Tuesday, she joined forces with U.S. Senator Rick Scott of Florida as an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 (S.29). This legislation aims to eliminate the biannual clock changes associated with DST, which begins this year on March 9.

Hyde-Smith stated, “Changing the clocks twice a year creates unnecessary difficulties for many people in Mississippi, especially farmers who rely on daylight to manage their crops, livestock, and daily tasks, and permanent Daylight Saving Time would give them more consistency throughout the year. It would also help boost the economy, improve public safety, and offer important mental health benefits.” She expressed pride in supporting the Sunshine Protection Act once again to put an end to clock changes.

Senator Scott shared similar sentiments: “I hear from Americans constantly that they are sick and tired of changing their clocks twice a year – it’s an unnecessary, decades-old practice that’s more of an annoyance to families than benefit to them." He recalled his actions as Governor of Florida in 2018 when he signed legislation allowing Florida to opt out of time changes. Scott added his enthusiasm about having President Trump back in office and supporting efforts to pass this bill.

Scott assumed leadership on this legislative effort after U.S. Senator Marco Rubio was selected by President-elect Trump as Secretary of State. Hyde-Smith had previously collaborated with Rubio on advancing similar legislation over several congresses.

President-elect Trump has recently advocated for ending DST due to its perceived inconvenience and costliness. The proposed S.29 seeks to repeal the current eight-month DST period set by the Uniform Time Act of 1966 without affecting time zones or requiring non-observing states to adopt DST.

The Senate passed a previous version of this bill in March 2022 by unanimous consent; however, it did not proceed to a House vote under then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi despite significant support from lawmakers and citizens alike.

Additional original cosponsors of S.29 include Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ron Wyden (R-Ore.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.).

DST was initially implemented during World War I following Germany's efforts in 1916 to conserve fuel. In the U.S., observance has extended from six months originally to eight months currently since its inception, with historical instances of year-round DST during periods such as 1942-1945 and 1974-1975.