Ashley Hunter: Greene Publishing, Inc.
In March, the Florida Senate approved HB 1013, which made the motion to keep Florida from 'falling back' during the time change in September but would keep the state of Florida in the spring time's longer daylight hours.
The bill, which was approved 33-2 within the Senate, had lacked Governor Rick Scott's signature. On Friday, March 23, Gov. Scott signed the bill, giving it his approval. The bill is far from a done deal, however, as Congress still needs to amend existing federal law to allow Florida to stay on Daylight Saving Time (DST).
Arizona and Hawaii do not observe DST, which states are lawfully allowed to do. What Florida is attempting is unusual, as instead of ditching DST, Florida lawmakers are attempting to keep the state on DST hours. In summer, the daylight hours would remain the same, with the sun rising around 6:30 a.m. and setting around 8:30 p.m.
It would be winter when the change is really noticeable. Since the state wouldn't be 'falling back' in the Autumn, winter daylight would last from 7:20 a.m. until 6 p.m., instead of the usual 8:20 a.m. through 7 p.m. The longer evening hours would mean there'd be more time for sports games, after-work activities and later sunrises and sunsets during peak tourist season for Florida's beach cities. Not to mention that the hassle of switching clocks back and forth will be gone.
The bill, nicknamed the “Sunshine Protection Act” also has a dark side, as it would mean that those with early morning commutes will be driving in the dark morning hours for longer periods, and schoolchildren will be waiting at the morning bus stop in the dark.
There is also concern that the time gap may be too much, as for five months out of the year, Florida will be one hour ahead of the rest of the east coast. Sports games, flights, conference calls, New Year's Eve will all fall an entire hour earlier for Florida than the rest of the states on the Eastern Time Zone.
With the bill still needing Congress' approval, and there being no proof that Congress has even set Florida's HB 1013 on their agenda, the whole thing may die quietly in the end with Floridians still changing their clocks back this fall.