The first day of fall is almost here, and the days are already getting shorter — a sign that the end of daylight saving timeis approaching.
At the same time, lawmakers have been considering the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would allow states to observe daylight saving time year-round and eliminate the twice-a-year clock change.
The U.S. Senate returned to legislative business Sept. 14, but there has been no major movement on the proposal and no Senate vote has been scheduled.
Here’s what to know about when daylight saving time ends in 2026 and where the effort to make it permanent currently stands in Congress.
When is daylight saving time ending?
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks will fall back one hour to 1 a.m. The change marks
the return to standard time, which will remain in effect through the winter.
Is it daylight savings time now?
Daylight saving time is currently in effect across most of the United States. Clocks moved forward one hour on Sunday, March 8, 2026, and will remain on daylight saving time until Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks turn back one hour at 2 a.m.
The return to standard time will bring earlier sunrises and more morning daylight. People will also gain an extra hour of sleep on the night of the time change. The trade-off is an earlier sunset, meaning it will get dark sooner in the late afternoon and evening.
What is the Sunshine Protection Act?
The Sunshine Protection Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 14 in a 308-117 vote. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, where it remains as of Sept. 18.
No Senate floor vote on the legislation has been scheduled.
For the Sunshine Protection Act to become law, it would still need to pass the Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump, who has voiced support for the bill.
If enacted, the legislation would make daylight saving time permanent under federal law, eliminating the twice-yearly clock change for states that observe daylight saving time.
Is daylight saving time going away?
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 1 since Congress has not voted on the bill to make it permanent.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Daylight saving time 2026: Could it still become permanent?
