Georgia came close to eliminating the need to “spring forward,” but a bill to cut out the twice-yearly clock change died in the House on Sine Die, the final day of the legislative session.
What’s Happening: House Bill 154, also known as the Georgia Sunshine Protection Act, cleared the Georgia Senate 45-5 last Monday. However, when it reached the House, the bill died.
What Could Have Been: This bill would have essentially put Georgia in permanent daylight saving time. By December 31, the governor would have had to formally request the U.S. Department of Transportation to place Georgia in the Atlantic Time Zone. Georgia would have stayed on Atlantic Standard Time all year with no more clock changes.
The bill was designed as a workaround to the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966, which sets the rules for daylight saving time across the country. Because of that law, Georgia cannot make its own changes to daylight saving time unless the federal government allows it.
In 2021, Brian Kemp signed a law that would have put Georgia on permanent daylight saving time. But that law could not take effect unless Congress changed the federal rules. HB 154 tried a different approach by moving Georgia into a new time zone instead of changing its daylight saving status.
The Opposition: Opponents of the Sunshine Protection Act argued against the bill, saying that this would lead to winter sunrises as late as 8:30 or 9 a.m. Lacking morning sunlight would lead to a disruption in and may also lead to higher car accidents in the dark mornings.
The Timeline: HB 154 was originally a bill about turning ambulance services into an essential service. It passed the House in 2025 but died in the Senate. It came back this session, was rewritten into its current form, and sailed through the Senate. But when it arrived at the House of Representatives, the measure never made it to the floor and the bill died.
Why Some Bills Don’t Make It: Some bills never make it through the legislative process because of timing or political support. A measure might pass one chamber but run out of time in the other, especially if it reaches the House or Senate late in the session. Other bills are unlikely to pass because they do not have enough votes, so lawmakers may choose not to push them forward. These factors mean that even bills with public attention or support can die before becoming law.
Mica Dimayuga
Mica Dimayuga is a contributor to the Georgia Sun. Outside of writing, some of her other passions include psychology and the arts. Mica currently lives in Johns Creek and is a lifelong Georgia resident
