A newly introduced bipartisan bill in Congress could change how Arkansas and the rest of the country observe time by making standard time permanent nationwide.
The Sunshine for Our Kids Act of 2026, introduced July 9 by U.S. Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pennsylvania, and Pat Harrigan, R-North Carolina, would establish permanent standard time across the United States. The proposal would also allow individual states to adopt permanent daylight saving time if they choose.
Under current federal law, states may remain on standard time year-round but cannot observe permanent daylight saving time without congressional approval.
The proposal differs from previous congressional efforts, which have largely focused on making daylight saving time permanent nationwide. Instead, the Sunshine for Our Kids Act would make standard time the default across the country while giving states the option to adopt permanent daylight saving time if they choose.
Supporters of permanent standard time point to research indicating it better aligns with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Studies have associated the twice-yearly clock changes with temporary increases in sleep disruption and elevated risks of traffic crashes, workplace injuries, heart attacks and strokes in the days following the time change.
If enacted, Arkansas would no longer change its clocks twice a year unless state lawmakers later chose to adopt permanent daylight saving time under the authority provided by the legislation.
The bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and referred to committee for consideration. It would need approval from both chambers of Congress and the president before becoming law.
For now, Arkansas will continue observing daylight saving time under current federal law, with the next clock change scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, when clocks will be set back one hour.
