A major change to the way Americans set their clocks moved one step closer on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, by a vote of 308–117. The legislation would make daylight saving time permanent, potentially ending the twice-a-year clock changes for Maryland and most of the country.
But there is one important thing Marylanders need to know right now:
🕒 Nothing changes yet.
The House passing the bill does not immediately change the clocks or Maryland’s current daylight saving time schedule. The legislation still needs to clear the Senate and complete the federal lawmaking process before permanent daylight saving time could take effect.
Straight to the Point
✅ The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act.
🗳️ Final House vote: 308–117.
☀️ The bill would make daylight saving time permanent.
🚫 It is not law yet.
🕒 Maryland’s current clock-change schedule remains in place for now.
Under the existing 2026 schedule, daylight saving time is currently set to end at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when clocks would move back one hour. That remains the schedule unless federal law changes before then.
What Would Permanent Daylight Saving Time Mean for Maryland?
Maryland currently changes between daylight saving time and standard time each year.
During the spring, clocks move forward one hour. During the fall, clocks move back one hour.
The Sunshine Protection Act is designed to end that twice-yearly change by making daylight saving time permanent. The bill would repeal the temporary period for daylight saving time and adjust federal time-zone standards accordingly.
For Maryland, permanent daylight saving time would generally mean:
- No more “spring forward” and “fall back” clock changes.
- The clock time currently used during the warmer months would remain in place year-round.
- During the portion of the year when Maryland currently observes standard time, both sunrise and sunset would occur about one hour later by the clock.
That would mean more evening daylight during the winter months—but also later winter sunrises.
What Happens Next?
The legislation now faces its next major hurdle: the U.S. Senate.
Until the Senate acts and the legislation completes the remaining federal process, the current system remains unchanged.
A separate Senate version of the Sunshine Protection Act, S. 29, was introduced during the current Congress and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
For Maryland residents, the key takeaway is simple: do not change any plans or assume the November clock change has been canceled.
As of now, Maryland remains scheduled to return to standard time on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 a.m.
Why Is This a Weather Topic?
The clock and the weather are closely connected in everyday life.
Permanent daylight saving time would not create additional sunlight or change the actual length of the day. Instead, it would change where daylight falls on the clock.
During Maryland winters, that could mean brighter evenings but darker mornings. During summer, Marylanders would continue using the same clock time already observed today.
For anyone following sunrise, sunset, outdoor activities, commuting conditions, school mornings, or seasonal weather patterns, a permanent change would be noticeable.
Bottom Line
The U.S. House has officially passed legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent and potentially end the twice-a-year clock changes.
But nothing has changed for Maryland yet.
The bill still has additional steps before it can become law. Until that happens, Maryland’s existing daylight saving time schedule remains in place, including the currently scheduled November 1, 2026 return to standard time.
MD Weather Alerts will continue following the legislation and provide an update if the Senate takes action or the clock-change schedule officially changes.