Daylight Saving Time Debate Heats Up Ahead of March 2025 Start

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Daylight saving time will commence on Sunday, March 9, 2025, and will last until Sunday, Nov. 2, prompting renewed discussions around its future. President Donald Trump has recently expressed his intention to eliminate the clock-changing practice, calling it “inconvenient” and “costly” for the nation.

Trump’s comments on social media in December 2024 reignited a debate that had faded since the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in early 2022. The legislation aimed to establish permanent daylight saving time but stalled in a House committee amid concerns about its impacts on health and daily routines.

“The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency,” Trump wrote. “Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation.” His remarks align with growing public sentiment against the biannual time changes.

Public opinion polls have consistently shown that a majority of Americans want to end the practice of changing clocks twice a year. A March 2023 poll indicated that 62 percent of respondents supported eliminating this adjustment, while only 28 percent wanted to maintain it. Furthermore, an informal survey among Patch readers suggested strong dissatisfaction with current practices, highlighting the burden of adapting to time changes.

According to medical experts, daylight saving time disrupts natural circadian rhythms and has been linked to increased rates of heart attacks, strokes, and mood disorders. “I literally have to take off the Monday and Tuesday after the spring forward, or my work suffers,” a Virginia reader stated. “It takes me that long to adjust.”

Those in favor of maintaining daylight saving time often cite economic advantages. They argue that longer daylight in the evening encourages consumer spending at local businesses and provides more opportunities for community activities. Research suggests that permanent daylight saving time could also reduce crime rates.

However, advocates for year-round standard time cite the negative effects of early morning darkness, particularly in northern states. “In early January, the sun wouldn’t rise until well after 8 a.m. in many parts of the country,” warned an expert on time regulation.

At the state level, interest in adopting year-round daylight saving time has gained momentum. Since Florida enacted legislation in 2018 to make daylight saving time permanent pending federal approval, at least 20 other states have pursued similar measures. These include states like Alabama, California, and Georgia, all seeking to eliminate seasonal time changes.

Despite these efforts, the federal government has yet to act. If no legislation is passed, Americans will once again adjust their clocks on March 9, 2025. Currently, daylight saving time is observed in about 70 countries and has been a topic of debate in many others.

As the March deadline approaches, the future of daylight saving time hangs in the balance, with both public interest and political will shaping the potential outcomes.