Massachusetts might finally be done with the twice-a-year clock shuffle. Senate President Karen Spilka is throwing her weight behind a bill that would keep the commonwealth on Atlantic time year-round, and the measure has already landed in the Senate Rules Committee, a spot that can move a bill quickly toward a floor vote.
"This should be the last time that Massachusetts has to change our clocks," Spilka said, arguing that a permanent shift would be "better for our health" and "safer for our roads," according to CBS Boston. The push comes right on the heels of the state's latest spring forward and has reignited debate among lawmakers, sleep experts and business groups over which permanent setup, year-round daylight time or permanent standard time, would best serve the public.
What S.2157 Would Do
The bill, S.2157, would amend state law so that Atlantic Standard Time becomes the commonwealth's "standard time" and would exempt Massachusetts from switching back in November. That language appears in the bill text on the Massachusetts Legislature website. The proposal includes a trigger: it would only take effect if two or more neighboring states, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York or Maine, enact matching measures, and the governor then petitions the U.S. Department of Transportation to change the state's time zone. Only Maine has passed a similar law so far, the nonpartisan NCSL notes.
How Federal Law Fits
Under current federal law, states cannot simply decide to adopt year-round daylight saving time on their own, and any move into a different time zone needs U.S. Department of Transportation approval. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a version of the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022, but the House never acted on it, so Congress has not opened the door to a nationwide lock on daylight saving time. The bill record is available on Congress.gov. That federal limbo helps explain why S.2157 ties any change to neighboring state action and a DOT sign-off.
Health And Safety Debate
Medical and safety experts are still split on which permanent fix is best for people’s health. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends permanent standard time as the option most in sync with human circadian biology. Epidemiological research has also found modest increases in heart attacks and, in some studies, traffic crashes in the days after the spring clock change. Those findings are summarized in a 2019 meta-analysis in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, a paper that lawmakers and health officials now cite on both sides of the argument.
Schools, Business And Evening Life
S.2157 directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to convene a task force within 90 days to study school start times and report back to the Joint Committee on Education, a nod to concerns about darker winter mornings for students. A 2017 Special Commission on the Commonwealth’s Time Zone previously concluded that later winter sunsets could boost shopping and dining after work, an economic case supporters often highlight, as reported by Boston.com. Educators, public-safety officials and business groups are expected to weigh in during committee hearings.
What’s Next
With S.2157 now in Rules, the bill is headed for committee hearings and testimony before any floor debate, although the Rules chair can choose to slow it down or speed it up. CBS Boston reports that Senate leaders sent the measure to Rules on Thursday, giving senators time to dig into the details. Even if the Senate passes the bill, its trigger language and the requirement for DOT approval mean the shift would not be automatic; Massachusetts would still need matching moves from neighboring states and a federal sign-off.
For now, whether Massachusetts clocks keep jumping forward and back will depend as much on politics, and the neighbors, as on the health and safety case. Lawmakers say they plan to hear from sleep experts, educators and business leaders through the Rules process before any final vote.
