On November 5th, Daylight Saving Time (DST) ends, giving us that extra hour of sleep.
However, while there have been debates and legislative efforts to abolish DST, it’s still very much in practice in many parts of the United States.
However, there are exceptions, and understanding why some states choose to forgo this practice is essential.
The states and regions in the US that do not observe Daylight Saving Time include Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. Each of these areas has its unique reasons for opting out of the time change.
Arizona is among the states that have experimented with DST in the past. However, in 1968, Arizona decided to switch to Standard Time permanently.
The exception here is the Navajo Nation, a Native American territory that extends into New Mexico and Utah, which still observes DST.
Hawaii stands as the only US state that does not partake in Daylight Saving Time. The same goes for US territories in the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea.
The geographical location of these regions, close to the equator, means that sunrise and sunset times do not significantly vary throughout the year. As a result, there is no perceivable benefit to changing the clocks forward or backward.
The semi-annual time change during DST can be a hassle for many, leading to calls for its abolition.
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Daylight Saving Time Exceptions
As of October 2022, 29 states have proposed laws to end the bi-annual switch, with 19 having already passed laws to implement year-round Daylight Saving Time.
Some states that have passed such laws are Kentucky and Mississippi (2022), Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Montana (2021), and others dating back to Florida in 2018.
California authorized such a change in 2018, but legislative action is still pending. Several other states have also commissioned studies on the topic, while some have introduced legislation that failed to pass.
Ultimately, the authority to enact changes to Daylight Saving Time or Standard Time has rested with the Department of Transportation since 1966, requiring Congressional approval.
However, states can opt for year-round Standard Time without federal intervention.
As we all prepare to adjust our clocks this November, it’s worth remembering that Daylight Saving Time, with its semi-annual clock changes, has its proponents and opponents.
While some states have taken steps to make a change, the future of DST in the United States remains a topic of ongoing debate.
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Source: AS USA
