“It’s time for America to move forward and stop falling back.”

Those were the words of Sen. Tommy Tuberville when he spoke about his role in re-introducing the Sunshine Protection Act. The act would make Daylight Saving Time permanent.

In 2022, the Senate passed the legislation unanimously, but it died in the House after former Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

Tuberville (R-Auburn) also spoke about Alabamians support for the legislation.

“Alabamians have overwhelmingly expressed their support for the Sunshine Protection Act, and I promised them I’d continue pushing to do away with the outdated practice of adjusting our clocks twice a year,” he said.

Tuberville joined a bipartisan group of a dozen other senators in reintroducing the legislation. The lawmakers included Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tina Smith (R-Minn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ron Wyden (R-Ore.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).

The Alabama Legislature passed a bill to permanently implement DST in 2021, but legislation must first be passed at the federal level in order for the state law to take effect.

There has also been companion legislation introduced in the House.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.