Daylight saving all the time

Scott says yes; now it’s up to Congress

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has signed a bill that would give Florida Daylight Saving Time year round.

It was one of 74 bills Scott signed into law on Friday, but the “Sunshine Protection Act” won’t take effect unless Congress also changes federal law.

If that happens, Florida would join Hawaii and most of Arizona. Both are exempt from the Uniform Time Act of 1966.

Floridians would no longer have to turn the clock back one hour in the fall. It would mean darker mornings and brighter evenings between November and March.

Following Florida’s lead, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla) has proposed making Daylight Saving Time permanent across the country.

Rubio said federal approval of the Florida law would help the state’s agricultural economy, reduce traffic crashes, and boost health and fitness activities because there would be more sunlight and better visibility later in the day. Reactions have been mixed. Critics say Florida would be out of sync with the rest of the country.

The Florida PTA opposed the bill because children would be waiting for school buses or walking to school in the dark.

Scott said it would help the state’s tourism industry by allowing residents and visitors to, “enjoy everything our beautiful state has to offer later in the day.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.