ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It might be a little easier waking up this Sunday, getting that extra hour of sleep as we “fall back." Of course, the trade-off is it gets darker, earlier.
But could this be the last time Floridians have to fall back? Should it be? There’s a renewed push to stop the time change.
My first thought is I hate it,” Anna Pagac said about the time changes, preferring we’d just keep it consistent. "Everyone I talk to, they don't like it, they want to get rid of it,” she added.
"To have the consistency year-round, I think makes the most sense,” her husband Jim Brogan added.
Harry and Martina Vonderlieth agree and think falling back "doesn't make much sense for Florida or New York or any northern states.”
They moved to Florida for the sun, before they got here in 2018, then-Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill to “lock the clock,” in Daylight Saving Time.
"I heard it’s in the works, but nothing's been done about it,” Anna added.
That’s because the measure requires federal approval. The closest that ever came to happening was last year, when a bill introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) passed the Senate with unanimous consent. It never went any further and was never taken up in the U.S. House.
"It's time we stop all the back and forth,” said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida), who alongside Rubio is renewing the push to get the legislation passed.
"When you set your clock back, remember it doesn't have to be this way. Congress needs to take action and pass the Sunshine Protection Act to end this age-old practice once and for all," he added.
Supporters, even doctors say time changes can have an impact on physical and mental health, but until something changes, get ready to “fall back” once again this weekend.