With the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 one step closer to passing, the sun may be setting on our annual ritual of “springing forward” and “falling back.”
The act would make daylight saving time (DST) the permanent national standard, meaning that states observing DST would stay on summer-style time all year long.
On July 14, 2026, the U.S. House approved the bill in a vote of 308 to 117; however, the Senate still needs to vote on the companion bill before anything moves forward.
How would permanent DST affect Californians?
If the Sunshine Protection Act moves forward, and California decides not to opt out, then our winters could feel noticeably different.
From roughly November through early March, when California currently follows Pacific Standard time, the sunrise and sunset would both be an hour later. And while many Californians would welcome an extra hour of usable light in the evenings, it would come at the cost of much later sunrises.
In Los Angeles, 7 a.m. winter sunrises would shift to around 8 a.m. In San Francisco, sunrise could approach 8:25 a.m. In exchange, California’s pre-5 p.m. winter sunsets would be no more, shifting to around 5:44 p.m. in L.A. at the earliest.
In a state with early winter commutes and school drop-offs, the later sunrises could prove to be contentious, requiring more commuters to travel before the sun comes up. On the other hand, Californians would gain another hour of daylight in the afternoon for outdoor recreation and post-work plans.
What happens next?
The Sunshine Protection Act is not law yet. Although the House has approved the measure, the Senate must still vote on it. If the Senate passes the same version, it would then go to President Trump for his signature. Trump has said he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk.
If enacted, permanent daylight saving time would become the national standard. While it is unlikely (but not impossible) that the legislation will pass in time to prevent this year’s November 1 “fall back,” we could spring forward in March and then never change the clocks again.
California could potentially opt out and observe year-round standard time instead. Under Proposition 7, that would require a two-thirds vote in both the California Assembly and state Senate, followed by the governor’s signature.
