Changing clocks twice a year in Georgia could soon be a thing of the past, as state lawmakers consider legislation that would eliminate Daylight Saving Time and move the state into a new time zone.
The proposal, known as House Bill 154 or the Georgia Sunshine Protection Act, would shift Georgia out of the Eastern Time Zone and into the Atlantic Time Zone, allowing the state to remain on one consistent time year-round. The measure passed the Georgia Senate last week and now heads to the House for consideration.
If approved by the House, Georgia would petition the U.S. Secretary of Transportation for permission to move into the Atlantic Time Zone. Currently, parts of Eastern Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands operate under Atlantic Time.
State Representative Ruwa Romman says the goal of the bill is to eliminate the disruptions caused by changing clocks twice each year.
“Twice a year, every year, we force ourselves to basically end up jet lagged, and it has caused a lot of problems,” Romman said.
Romman noted that the Georgia Legislature passed a trigger bill in 2021 that would have made Daylight Saving Time permanent if Congress approved it, but federal lawmakers never acted on the measure. She added that research shows the time change can negatively affect public health and safety.
“We see an uptick in accidents, we see an uptick in heart attacks, we see an uptick in student sort of misbehavior,” Romman said.
During Senate debate, State Senator Ed Setzler voiced concerns about potential complications if neighboring states do not follow suit, particularly along the Alabama border.
“By moving us to the Atlantic time zone, if Alabama didn’t move, we would have a two-hour separation from Alabama,” Setzler warned.
Georgia is not alone in exploring changes to Daylight Saving Time. Lawmakers in about 20 states, including Tennessee, have introduced similar legislation to adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time. However, only Hawaii and Arizona currently observe a form of permanent standard time.
Romman says the issue continues to gain attention as lawmakers look for ways to reduce disruption for residents.
“Something needs to change around that, because it can be just so disruptive to so many people,” she said.
There is currently no date set for a House vote on House Bill 154.