Daylight Saving Time Bill: What It Means for Texas
By The Katy News Staff
KATY, Texas (July 22, 2026) — The United States moved closer to ending the twice-a-year clock change after the House of Representatives approved legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent.
However, Texans should not change their clocks or schedules yet.
The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, H.R. 139, on July 14, 2026, by a bipartisan vote of 308-117. The bill must still pass the Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump before it becomes law. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on July 15, but no Senate vote had been scheduled as of July 22.
If the legislation becomes law before November, Texas could remain on daylight saving time instead of setting clocks back one hour on Nov. 1.
What changed — and what has not changed
The House vote represents the most significant recent advancement for permanent daylight-saving time, but it did not immediately change the law.
Under the current federal schedule, daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Clocks in Katy and most of Texas are still scheduled to move back one hour unless Congress completes the legislation before then.
The U.S. Department of Transportation says states may currently remain on standard time throughout the year, but they cannot independently choose permanent daylight-saving time. States that observe daylight saving time must follow the dates established by federal law. Read the current federal rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
What is included in the Sunshine Protection Act?
The four-page federal bill would make several important changes:
- Repeal the section of the Uniform Time Act that creates the temporary daylight-saving time period each year.
- Move the legal standard for the nation’s time zones forward by one hour.
- End the requirement to “spring forward” in March and “fall back” in November.
- Allow states and areas already exempt from daylight saving time before enactment—such as Hawaii and most of Arizona—to continue using their existing standard time if they choose.
- Make the new time standard effective upon enactment because the bill contains no separate delayed implementation date.
The bill does not change school schedules, government office hours, farm schedules or employee work shifts. Those decisions would remain with school districts, employers, local governments and individual businesses.
The complete legislation is available through the U.S. Government Publishing Office.
How did Congress vote?
The official House roll call recorded:
| Party | Yes | No | Not voting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | 193 | 22 | 3 |
| Democratic | 114 | 95 | 3 |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 308 | 117 | 6 |
Seven members of the Texas delegation voted against the bill:
- Greg Casar, Democrat
- Lloyd Doggett, Democrat
- Veronica Escobar, Democrat
- Sylvia Garcia, Democrat
- Chip Roy, Republican
- Keith Self, Republican
- Marc Veasey, Democrat
Michael McCaul, Morgan Luttrell and Troy Nehls—whose districts include or border portions of the broader Katy region—each voted in favor. Katy-area residents should confirm their representative by street address because Greater Katy crosses multiple congressional districts.
The Senate has not yet voted. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to say Congress has completed the change.
What does Gov. Greg Abbott think about permanent daylight-saving time?
Gov. Greg Abbott’s clearest official position came through his approval of Texas House Bill 1393.
Abbott signed HB 1393 on June 20, 2025. The law directs both the Central and Mountain Time portions of Texas to observe daylight saving time throughout the year once federal approval is granted. It calls the permanent standard “Texas Time.”
By signing the legislation, Abbott demonstrated support for ending seasonal clock changes and keeping Texas on daylight saving time.
The governor’s official bill-signing announcement did not include a separate quotation explaining his personal reasons for supporting the time change. It stated that HB 1393 would require year-round daylight-saving time after federal approval. Read Abbott’s official announcement.
Texas Time would not place the entire state in one time zone. Most of Texas would remain in the Central zone, while the El Paso-area portion of the state would remain in the Mountain zone. Both would simply stay one hour ahead throughout the year.
The Texas Legislature’s official history describes HB 1393 as a trigger law that cannot operate until Congress enacts the necessary federal legislation.
How would permanent daylight-saving time affect Texas?
During spring, summer and early fall, Texans would notice little difference because the state already observes daylight saving time during those months.
The major change would occur from November through early March. Texas would no longer return to standard time.
That would mean:
- Sunrises would occur approximately one hour later by the clock during winter.
- Sunsets would occur approximately one hour later.
- Morning commuters and students would spend more winter mornings traveling before sunrise.
- Families would have more daylight after school and work.
- Outdoor businesses, restaurants, youth sports and recreation could benefit from lighter winter evenings.
- Residents would no longer experience the immediate sleep disruption associated with changing clocks twice a year.
The change would not create additional sunlight. It would move the same amount of daylight to a later time on the clock.
What would permanent daylight-saving time mean for Katy?
Katy would remain on Central Daylight Time, or UTC-5, throughout the year instead of returning to Central Standard Time, or UTC-6, during winter.
In the Katy-Houston area, permanent daylight-saving time would place winter sunrise at approximately 8:15 to 8:20 a.m. on the darkest mornings. Sunset would move from approximately 5:25 or 5:30 p.m. to approximately 6:25 or 6:30 p.m.
That tradeoff would be especially noticeable for Katy families.
Katy ISD students could begin school before sunrise
Katy ISD’s 2026-27 schedule lists a 7:15 a.m. high school start time. Tier A elementary schools begin at 7:50 a.m., while other elementary campuses begin at 8:10 or 8:30 a.m.
Under permanent daylight-saving time, high school students—and many elementary students—would begin classes before sunrise during part of the winter. Morning bus stops and commutes could also occur in darkness.
The federal bill would not require Katy ISD to alter its bell schedules, but permanent daylight-saving time could lead to local discussions about school transportation, visibility and student safety. View Katy ISD’s 2026-27 bell schedule.
Evening activities would receive more daylight
The other side of the change would be an additional hour of evening light by the clock.
Katy families could have more winter daylight for youth sports, walking trails, parks, shopping, dining and outdoor community events. Evening traffic along Interstate 10, the Grand Parkway and major roads such as FM 1463 would also occur with more daylight.
Whether that benefit outweighs darker mornings remains the central disagreement surrounding the bill.
How would Texas farmers and ranchers be affected?
The relationship between farmers and daylight-saving time is often misunderstood. Daylight saving time was not originally created to help farmers. Agricultural groups historically opposed seasonal clock changes because crops and livestock follow sunlight and biological routines rather than clocks.
Modern farmers have mixed opinions, but many agree that consistency is preferable to changing the clocks twice a year.
During the House debate, Rep. Troy Carter of Louisiana said the American Farm Bureau Federation supports the Sunshine Protection Act because a stable time system could reduce disruptions involving labor, livestock, transportation and market schedules.
Jason Degise of Demarest Farms in New Jersey told NBC that farmers operate more by “sun and season versus time and clock” and said his farm preferred a consistent timeline. Read the farmer interviews.
Dairy farmers face a particular challenge during clock changes because cows become accustomed to regular feeding and milking times. Some farmers gradually adjust those schedules instead of moving them by an entire hour overnight.
Permanent time could eliminate that twice-yearly disruption.
However, permanent daylight-saving time could create different concerns for Texas agriculture:
- Farmers following fixed employee schedules could begin winter work in deeper darkness.
- Farmworkers might have less morning daylight before temperatures rise.
- Livestock and crop schedules would still follow natural conditions rather than the clock.
- Transportation, processing plants, markets and delivery companies would operate on the permanent clock even when farm routines remain connected to sunrise.
- Farmers markets, agritourism operations and farm stores could benefit from additional evening daylight.
For farms and ranches west of Katy in Waller and Fort Bend counties, the practical effect would depend largely on whether their workday follows the clock, available sunlight, livestock routines or a combination of all three.
Permanent daylight-saving time would not add an extra hour for agricultural work. It would simply change when that daylight appears on the clock.
What are the health and safety arguments?
Supporters say eliminating clock changes could reduce temporary sleep loss, scheduling confusion, workplace mistakes and traffic risks associated with the spring transition.
The CDC has reported evidence of shortened sleep and adverse safety effects following the transition into daylight saving time. Review the CDC guidance.
Opponents agree that changing clocks should end but argue that permanent standard time would be healthier than permanent daylight-saving time. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine supports permanent standard time because morning light more closely aligns with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
Critics also point to the nation’s short-lived permanent daylight-saving time experiment in 1974. Public support declined as families encountered extremely dark winter mornings, particularly for children traveling to school.
The debate is therefore no longer simply about whether the clock changes should end. The larger question is whether permanent daylight time or permanent standard time is the better choice.
What happens next?
H.R. 139 is now before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The Senate could approve the House bill, modify it or decline to take action.
If the Senate changes the legislation, the House and Senate would have to agree on identical language before it could be sent to President Trump.
Until that process is completed, daylight saving time has not permanently changed in Texas. Katy residents should continue preparing to set their clocks back on Nov. 1 unless a new federal law is enacted before that date.
The Katy News will continue monitoring the legislation and any implementation guidance affecting Texas, Katy-area schools, employers and families.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Congress eliminate the time change?
No. The House passed the bill, but the Senate has not yet approved it.
Will Texas still change its clocks on Nov. 1, 2026?
Yes, under the current law. That could change if the Sunshine Protection Act passes the Senate and is signed before Nov. 1.
Does Greg Abbott support permanent daylight-saving time?
His signature on Texas HB 1393 demonstrates support for keeping Texas on daylight saving time throughout the year.
Would permanent daylight-saving time create more sunlight?
No. It would move winter sunrise and sunset one hour later on the clock.
Would Katy ISD automatically change its schedules?
No. The bill does not mandate school schedules, although darker winter mornings could prompt local safety and scheduling discussions.
Would permanent daylight-saving time help farmers?
It would eliminate the twice-yearly clock disruption, but some agricultural workers could spend more winter mornings working before sunrise.
