California will move its clocks forward by one hour on Sunday, March 8, as Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins across the US.
This change will take effect at 2 a.m., when clocks advance to 3 a.m., marking the start of the annual shift that moves an hour of daylight from morning to evening. California follows the federal schedule for DST, which requires clocks to change twice each year.
Despite being a long-standing practice in the US, daylight saving time continues to spark debate. Lawmakers, researchers, and public officials have questioned whether the benefits of daylight saving time outweigh the disruptions caused by the shift.
What is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight saving time is the period each year when clocks are set one hour ahead of standard time to extend daylight during the evening hours.
Under current federal law, DST begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November, when clocks are set back by one hour.
The beginning of DST is often referred to as “spring forward,” while the end is called “fall back.”
The idea behind the system is to make better use of daylight during the warmer months. By shifting an hour of daylight later in the day, it allows people to spend more time outdoors in the evening.
History of Daylight Saving Time
The origin of DST dates back to World War I. In 1918, Congress passed the Standard Time Act of 1918, also known as the Calder Act. The law formally established the country’s time zones and created a seasonal system in which clocks would move forward during the summer months.
This was introduced to conserve resources during wartime by making better use of daylight. After World War I ended, Congress repealed the federal requirement for Daylight Saving Time. However, some states and cities continued to observe it on their own, which led to inconsistent timekeeping across different parts of the country.
To address the confusion, Congress later passed the Uniform Time Act of 1966. The law created a consistent national schedule for changing clocks and established rules for observing DST.
Later, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the DST period. Under this law, DST begins in March and ends in November, a schedule that remains in place today.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is responsible for regulating time zones and overseeing the implementation of DST.
Effects of Daylight Saving Time
According to a 2008 report by the U.S. Department of Energy, national energy use was estimated to have been reduced by about 0.02% as a result of implementing DST.
Some studies indicate that longer evening daylight may slightly reduce traffic accidents and certain types of crime. However, health experts have raised concerns about the clock changes. They cite the spring transition as contributing to sleep disruption and a temporary rise in heart attacks among certain groups.
In a statement posted on Truth Social on December 14, 2024, President Donald Trump said the Republican Party would work to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, describing it as “inconvenient” and “very costly to our Nation.”
California Debate Around DST
California has followed DST for decades. In 1949, voters approved a statewide initiative that established the practice in the state. Today, California continues with the same DST schedule set under federal law.
In 2018, voters approved Proposition 7, which allows the state Legislature to modify the state’s DST rules with a two-thirds vote. Any changes must still comply with federal law.
California lawmakers are once again discussing whether the state should continue changing clocks twice each year.
A proposal known as SB 1197, introduced on February 19, 2026, would eliminate Daylight Saving Time and place the state on permanent standard time.
Supporters say the clock changes can disrupt sleep patterns and may affect health, safety, and education. The measure is currently under review in a California Senate committee.
The U.S. has experimented with year-round Daylight Saving Time before. From 1942 to 1945, the country observed “War Time” during World War II, keeping clocks advanced throughout the year. A similar approach was briefly adopted during the 1973 energy crisis before the country returned to the current seasonal system.
Debate Over Daylight Saving Time
Debate over the future of Daylight Saving Time continues across the U.S. Since 2015, at least 45 states have introduced legislation related to changing how they observe the system.
Some proposals call for permanent DST, while others support year-round standard time. However, any major change to the national system would require action from the U.S. Congress, which sets the federal rules governing timekeeping.
blah blah blah….look, we and many other states have voted to stop this ridiculous capitolistic overreach by our GOV, all to be ignored by our state and federal leaders. we have voted twice in california in my lifetime to end the practice, both times a huge majority voted in favor to shelf it. then it gets dropped by the law makers. so sick of the government messing with time…our time…and our natural sleep cycles.
I presume that KNein is referring to Prop 7, which passed with nearly 60% of the vote in 2018. Prop 7 was NOT a direct vote of the people to end daylight saving time. Here’s what the official California Voter Information Guide said:
A YES vote on this measure means: The Legislature, with a two-thirds vote, could change daylight saving time if the change is allowed by the federal government. Absent any legislative change, California would maintain its current daylight saving time period.
I support keeping daylight saving time as is because the alternatives seem worse to me. Permanent standard time means sunrises before 5:00am for more than two months in the summer and sunsets never later than 7:15pm. Wouldn’t you rather take that early morning sunlight and move it to the end of the day like we do now?
Permanent daylight saving time is even worse. In the winter, the sun would not rise until after 8:00am about 40 days out of the year. Who wants to have to be at school or work before sunrise? The safety concerns of kids walking or riding bikes to school in the dark is enough to make permanent DST a terrible idea.
I thought we had voted to get rid of the time change several years ago! .I don’t understand why it’s up for vote again. Many stares have already eliminated it why can’t California get it together?
Unhealthy for the body and the mind.
Lorax – You misunderstood or misremember what that vote was about.
Prop 7 (2018) – A YES vote on this measure means: The Legislature, with a two-thirds vote, could change daylight saving time if the change is allowed by the federal government. Absent any legislative change, California would maintain its current daylight saving time period.
I don’t know of any states that have gotten rid of DST recently. The only states that don’t observe DST are Arizona, Hawaii, and parts of Indiana.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States
and those 3 states have the right idea. your comment about winter and the sun is funny though. those of us that are tired of this, really do not care if we have less light or not. while time is a man made event, we continue to mess with our natural body clocks and rhythms, why? so we are out of the house, spending money at stores and shops. its nothing more than a cash grab. now that things are mostly purchased online, there is no more reason for this ridiculous event that we do twice a year. we do realize how it would change and we welcome it. sure, others do not agree, and i fully accept and appreciate that. Please don’t copy/paste wikipedia. it’s not legit. it’s created by users online. its not official anything.
100% agree, Lorax.
I’d prefer permanent standard time. Please and thank you.
No thanks. I would rather time be left alone. I don’t care if sun rise is at 5am. I’m up at 430 every day. I don’t care that the sun sets at 715. I stay out until 9pm every night training. I would not like to move sunlight around. I would prefer and many agree, that we let things be and stop messing with it. People will adapt, bus services to school would change as well as everything else to accommodate it. My kids are 19/20, i’m not worried about them riding to school in the dark. Other peoples kids? That is their issue and not mine to worry about.
We’ve been through this over and over and the people have spoken, so who really runs this state anyway?
i thought it was Trumps fault, was about to make a new sign, so relieved!!