Florida may make daylight saving time permanent

New legislation in Florida would make daylight saving time permanent. (Reuters)

Florida is on its way to making daylight saving time permanent, as bills pushed through the state’s Senate and House unanimously this week could change the way the state keeps time.

The two bills, both titled as the “Sunshine Protection Act,” passed in the first Senate and House committees, the Miami Herald reported.

The bills would exclude the state from changing its clock twice a year. Instead, daylight saving time would be the state’s time all year, NBC-2 reported.

The Senate version of the proposal also asked the state’s Panhandle to be moved into Eastern Time. The panhandle is currently considered part of the Central Time zone.

The Commerce and Tourism Committee and the Rules Committee would need to approve it before it heads to the Senate. The bill would also need to be accepted by Elaine L. Chao, the United States secretary of transportation.

The state’s time zone would change “as soon as practicable” if the bill becomes law. Sponsors of the bill would also need to have proof that the time change would benefit the state.

If the bill passes, Florida will join Hawaii and most of Arizona in following standard time year-round, News-Press reported.