A Tennessee Republican lawmaker, State Rep. Chris Todd from Madison County, has introduced House Bill 1300 to eliminate the state’s twice-yearly clock changes by adopting standard time year-round, effectively ending daylight saving time in Tennessee. If the bill passes and is signed into law, the change would take effect beginning in 2027 (specifically noted in some sources as March 14, 2027). This proposal aligns with federal law, which permits states to opt out of daylight saving time and stay on permanent standard time, though they cannot unilaterally adopt permanent daylight saving time without congressional approval.

Daylight saving time originated nationally in 1918 under the Standard Time Act signed by President Woodrow Wilson, aimed at energy conservation and extended evening daylight, though it was repealed the next year before being reinstated during World War II and standardized by the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Currently, only Hawaii and most of Arizona (excluding the Navajo Nation) do not observe daylight saving time. Tennessee previously passed a 2019 law expressing intent to adopt permanent daylight saving time if Congress authorizes it, but no such federal action has occurred, leaving the state subject to the biannual shifts.

The bill, House Bill 1300, recently advanced out of the House Public Service Committee and is now headed to the State and Local Government Committee for further consideration. This move reflects ongoing debates in various states about ending clock changes, with some favoring permanent standard time due to health and convenience concerns associated with the shifts.