Georgia bill to end daylight saving time clears state Senate

Georgia moves closer to permanent daylight saving

Georgia lawmakers are advancing a bill to make daylight saving time permanent by moving the state into the Atlantic Time Zone to improve public health and safety.

ATLANTA - A Georgia bill that would effectively end the practice of changing clocks twice a year is heading to the state House after a successful Senate vote. 

Georgia Senate passes bill to lock the clock

What we know:

House Bill 154 passed the state Senate on Monday, marking a significant step toward making daylight saving time permanent in Georgia. State Sen. Bo Hatchett, who is pushing the legislation, argues the current system is harmful to public health. "The day after daylight savings time. You see a spike in, heart attacks, strokes. You see a spike in, car accidents. There's misbehavior at schools. It's just not a good system that we have now," Hatchett said. 

What we don't know:

There is currently no clear timeline for when the time zone change would actually take effect if the bill becomes law. The shift also depends on the U.S. Department of Transportation giving the state a green light after a formal evaluation. 

Moving Georgia to the Atlantic time zone

By the numbers:

The legislation, known as House Bill 154, was approved by the Senate this week. If enacted, Georgia would officially leave the Eastern Time Zone and move into the Atlantic time zone. Proponents believe this shift is necessary because Congress has "punted" on the issue at a federal level. 

Local perspective:

While some fear Georgia would be "left on an island" by changing zones, Hatchett says he has spoken with lawmakers in South Carolina and Florida who are interested in joining the petition to the Secretary of Transportation. The goal is to evaluate the change based on the "convenience of commerce standard" to ensure regional consistency. 

Next steps for the time zone proposal

What's next:

Now that the bill has cleared the Senate, it must return to the state House for a final vote. If it passes there, the bill will head to the governor’s desk for a signature before the state can begin the federal petition process.