Congressional Push for Permanent Daylight Saving Time Sparks Worries Over Marginalized Communities and Worker Safety
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A House vote to enforce year-round daylight saving time risks pushing winter sunrises in California and other U.S. cities past 8 a.m., igniting debate over safety, equity, and the impact on working-class and vulnerable populations.
If Congress were to enact permanent daylight saving time, winter sunrise times would shift later across the United States, disproportionately affecting working families, students, and marginalized communities. In Los Angeles, the latest sunrise would occur at 8:00 a.m., while Sacramento and San Francisco would see sunrise at 8:24 a.m. and 8:25 a.m., respectively. The northernmost California city of Crescent City would experience sunrise at 8:44 a.m., and locations such as Bismarck, North Dakota, and Glacier National Park, Montana, could see sunrise after 9:20 a.m. These late sunrises mean that millions, especially low-income workers and children, would be forced to begin their days in darkness, raising concerns about safety and wellbeing.
The change would also impact other regions: Miami’s winter sunrise would move to 8:09 a.m., New York City to 8:20 a.m., and Seattle to 8:58 a.m. While evenings would gain additional daylight, with Los Angeles’ sunset moving from about 4:44 p.m. to roughly 5:44 p.m. in late November, the benefits are not equally distributed. Evening daylight may favor affluent and privileged groups with flexible schedules, while those with early-morning obligations bear the brunt of darker mornings.
The proposal gained bipartisan support in the House, passing 308-117. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) described the twice-annual clock changes as “an unnecessary, decades-old practice” and claimed an extra evening hour would benefit families. However, some lawmakers, including those concerned with social justice and public health, oppose the measure, citing the dangers of reduced morning light. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) warned that later winter sunrises could “deprive Americans of morning sunshine that’s essential for our safety and well-being,” a risk disproportionately affecting those who rely on public transportation or walk to work and school.
California voters approved Proposition 7 in 2018, authorizing the state legislature to adopt year-round daylight saving time if federal law permits. Current federal statutes prohibit states from implementing permanent daylight saving time without congressional action. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) noted that Californians have already voted to lock the clock and urged Congress to act, but critics argue that the voices of marginalized communities are often left out of these decisions.
Other jurisdictions have taken different approaches. British Columbia moved to permanent daylight saving time in 2023, resulting in Vancouver’s latest sunrise at 9:07 a.m. and earlier winter sunsets, raising similar concerns about worker and student safety. Mexico ended daylight saving time in most of the country in 2022, remaining on standard time year-round, a move praised by advocates for social equity.
The debate reflects a broader discussion about the balance between evening daylight and morning light, with implications for school schedules, public safety, and daily activities, especially for those most vulnerable to policy changes.