LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Should Kentucky continue to follow daylight saving time? It’s a question that has seemingly been on lawmakers’ minds for several years.
On March 10, daylight saving time (DST) will be in full effect and we will have to move our clocks forward an hour at 2 a.m. But Kentucky Rep. Steven Doan (R-District 69) is looking to end that cycle of springing forward and falling back in the Bluegrass State.
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 mandates the use of daylight saving time throughout the country. It allows states to opt out and exempt themselves from the practice to stay on standard time year-round, but it doesn't allow states to permanently establish daylight saving time.
House Bill 674, filed on Thursday, would make Kentucky exempt from DST and would instead use the standard time of the United States. “Standard time” is the time when DST is not in use.
Currently, HB 674 has been assigned to the Committee on Committees.
Doan's bill is likely going to have a tough time in the legislature as this isn’t the first attempt at axing DST in Kentucky.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, three pieces of legislation regarding changes to DST in Kentucky failed in 2020.
In 2022, the Kentucky House of Representatives urged Congress and the President by resolution to permanently adopt daylight saving time by passing the Sunshine Protection Act. But two other House Resolutions failed.
In 2023, a measure was introduced in the Kentucky House to make DST year-round if the Uniform Time Act of 1966, or the Standard Time Act of 1918, are amended by Congress. That measure also failed.
As of Feb. 23, there are only 23 days left in the 2024 Legislative Session for Doan’s bill to be passed.
If passed, the bill would take effect on Nov. 1, 2024.
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