Will Daylight Saving Time become permanent? Odds are rising, but don't hold your breath.

The House passed legislation this week to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, but Kalshi markets give it just a 23% chance of happening this year. The bill still needs to clear the Senate, where it faces significant opposition that could prevent it from becoming law anytime soon.

However, the odds of the change taking place in subsequent years are climbing. There is now a 44% chance it happens by the end of 2027, and a 54% chance it happens before January 2029.

^{For informational purposes only. Not trading advice. See full disclaimer below.}

The House passed a measure called The Sunshine Protection Act on Tuesday that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide, eliminating the twice-yearly clock change. NBC News reported that the measure passed by a vote of 308-117.

The act is headed to the Senate and President Donald Trump is urging Congress to pass it. He posted on his Truth Social account in May that he would “work very hard to see The Sunshine Protection Act signed into law.”

Public support for ending the twice-yearly clock change has grown considerably. A Gallup poll conducted in 2025 found that more than half of Americans favor eliminating the biannual practice.

The act cleared the House with a substantial majority, but its path through the Senate is far less certain. The New York Times reported that some members of Congress have signaled they may oppose the measure.

In 2022, then-Sen. Marco Rubio's bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent passed the Senate unanimously, but stalled in the House. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said in an October 2025 floor speech that he regretted not objecting to Rubio's bill when he had the chance.

“By moving the clock back an hour in winter, permanent daylight-saving time would push winter sunrises to an absurdly late hour, depriving Americans of morning sunshine that’s essential for our safety and well-being,” Cotton said.

Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming also told the Times, “We’ll see what happens when it gets here.”

The concept of Daylight Saving Time dates to the 1780s.

CNBC reported that Benjamin Franklin first proposed the idea in a 1784 essay titled “An Economical Project.” The modern version was created by an entomologist from New Zealand named George Hudson. National Geographic wrote that he proposed “a two-hour time shift so he’d have more after-work hours of sunshine to go bug hunting in the summer.”

During World War I, Daylight Saving Time was proposed as a way to save on energy reserves. If people spent more time outside during the summer months, they could conserve electricity by using their lights less in the evening hours.

Congress first enacted Daylight Saving Time in 1918, but left it to state governments to adopt. The issue resurfaced during World War II, again without a federal mandate. Daylight Saving Time was standardized nationally with the passage of the Uniform Time Act in 1966.

This is not the first time the country has attempted to make the change permanent. According to Smithsonian Magazine, President Richard Nixon signed year-round Daylight Saving Time into law in January 1974, aiming to extend evening sunlight and ease an ongoing national energy crisis. The measure was initially popular, but support eroded as the long, dark winter mornings set in. President Gerald Ford signed legislation reversing the change in October 1974.

Kalshi markets now predict:

Follow Danny Gallagher on Instagram: @writerdannygallagher
Follow Kalshi on X: @Kalshi | Image Source: Wikicommons

^{This article may contain content generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The opinions and perspectives presented in this article belong solely to the author. This is not financial advice. Trading on Kalshi involves risk and may not be appropriate for all. Members risk losing their cost to enter any transaction, including fees. You should carefully consider whether trading on Kalshi is appropriate for you in light of your investment experience and financial resources. Any trading decisions you make are solely your responsibility and at your own risk. Information is provided for convenience only on an "AS IS" basis. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Kalshi is subject to U.S. regulatory oversight by the CFTC.}