The measure has already passed the House, while the Senate is expected to decide whether it will consider the legislation after its recess. If approved, many states would experience later winter sunsets, along with later morning sunrises between November and March.
Later Winter Sunsets Would Replace Early Evening Darkness
Under permanent daylight saving time, states that currently switch clocks in November would keep the later summer schedule throughout the year. Hawaii and most of Arizona, which already follow year-round standard time, would remain exempt, according to The Hill.
The main visible change during winter would be the shift in sunset times. Cities that now see the sun disappear during the 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. hours would move those sunsets later by about one hour because clocks would not move backward in November.
According to The Hill, locations such as Green Bay and Burlington, Vermont, which currently experience more than 90 winter sunsets before 5 p.m., could see many of those sunsets move into the 5 p.m. hour. Some cities could also experience winter sunsets after 7 p.m. at certain points of the season.
The timing changes would vary significantly by location. Juneau, Alaska, would see its winter sunsets that currently occur in the 3 p.m. hour shift into the 4 p.m. hour. In early March, Juneau, Indianapolis, and Louisville, Kentucky, would have some of the latest possible winter sunsets, all occurring after 7:40 p.m.
The later evening light is one of the main reasons supporters have backed permanent daylight saving time. The proposed change would affect daily routines, commuting patterns and outdoor activities during the darker months, though the impact would differ depending on geography.
Later Sunrises Raise Concerns About Winter Mornings
The shift in evening daylight would come with a change in the morning schedule. Without the November clock change, winter sunrises would happen later across much of the country, with some areas seeing the sun appear after 8 a.m.
According to The Hill, some locations would experience winter sunrises after 9 a.m. Indianapolis and Louisville would have sunrises at or later than 9 a.m. for part of the winter, while Grand Rapids would reach one of the latest sunrise times in the country at 9:14 a.m.
The effect would be more pronounced in Juneau, where the latest winter sunrise under permanent daylight saving time would occur after 11 a.m., according to the report. The city would also experience the same one-hour shift in sunset times as other locations.
Previous efforts to establish permanent daylight saving time have faced opposition partly because of these late morning conditions. Critics have pointed to possible effects on health, religious practices and transportation schedules. According to The Hill, experts have raised concerns that maintaining daylight saving time year-round could have implications for sleep patterns and other parts of daily life.
The House has passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2026, but the Senate’s position remains uncertain. Congress is also considering other proposals, including measures that would allow states to choose year-round daylight saving time, establish permanent standard time, or create a half-daylight saving time system. The final outcome will determine whether Americans continue changing their clocks twice a year or experience a permanent shift in winter daylight patterns.
