Mike Simpson Just Voted to End Idaho's Twice-a-Year Clock Change

The House backed permanent daylight saving time 308-117, leaving the Senate and Idaho lawmakers with the next decisions.

The U.S. House voted 308-117 on Tuesday to stop the twice-a-year clock change and keep daylight saving time in place year-round, with Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson joining the majority.

The vote on H.R. 139 does not change Idaho clocks yet. The Sunshine Protection Act still must clear the Senate and receive a presidential signature. If it becomes law in its current form, Idaho families, farms, schools and employers would no longer spring forward in March or fall back in November.

Simpson cast his vote as a practical reform. His office said a fixed clock would benefit farmers, outdoor recreationists, employers and public safety. For a state divided between Mountain and Pacific time, the federal bill would settle the seasonal-switch question while reopening a state choice between permanent daylight time and permanent standard time.

The House built a broad majority

The July 14 roll call drew support from 193 Republicans, 114 Democrats and the House's lone independent. Twenty-two Republicans and 95 Democrats voted no, while six members did not vote. Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan sponsored the measure.

Under current federal rules, daylight saving time covers 238 days, about 65 percent of the year. In 2026 it began on March 8 and is scheduled to end on November 1. The National Institute of Standards and Technology says the seasonal shift makes useful daylight arrive later in the morning and remain later in the evening.

H.R. 139 would remove the seasonal period and keep clocks on the advanced schedule. The practical effect for most Idahoans would be later winter sunrises and later winter sunsets, with no abrupt one-hour shifts in spring or fall.

The White House has formally backed the bill. In a statement issued before the vote, the administration said ending clock changes would reduce hassle and costs while placing more daylight in hours when Americans are awake and active. It cited federal time-use data estimating about 20 additional daylight minutes during the average waking day when standard time is replaced by daylight time.

Idaho still has a local-control decision

The House bill leaves states a route to permanent standard time. Simpson's office said a state may opt out through legislation, but the exemption must be in place before the federal measure is enacted.

Idaho lawmakers have already tested that argument. House Bill 140 in 2025 proposed permanent standard time for both the Mountain and Pacific portions of the state, with separate triggers tied to neighboring Oregon and Washington. The public legislative record shows the proposal was introduced and sent to the House State Affairs Committee, with no later action listed.

That means Idaho has not adopted an alternative to the federal schedule. If the Senate advances H.R. 139, state lawmakers would have to decide whether to accept permanent daylight time or put a standard-time exemption on the books before enactment. The choice would touch school mornings, farm schedules, construction crews, commuters and small businesses coordinating across state and time-zone lines.

A fixed clock still shifts winter daylight

Ending the clock change does not create more sunlight. It decides when Idahoans see it. Permanent daylight time preserves more light after work and school, while permanent standard time provides earlier winter morning light.

That tradeoff appeared in Idaho's 2025 proposal. Its statement of purpose cited health, safety, education and economic concerns tied to clock changes, while also pointing to sleep organizations that favor standard time. Simpson emphasized the other side of the ledger, including evening recreation, employers and public safety.

Both approaches remove the seasonal disruption. The remaining dispute is about which hours best match family routines, working schedules and Idaho's two-zone geography. That is a concrete policy choice, not another reason to keep changing every clock twice a year.

The Senate now controls the timetable

House passage alone changes nothing for November. Under current law, Idaho clocks are still scheduled to fall back one hour on November 1. The Senate must pass the legislation before it can reach the president.

The administration has said presidential advisers would recommend a signature if the current bill reaches the White House. That gives the measure a clearer path than earlier clock-change proposals, but Senate action remains the decisive step.

Simpson's vote put Idaho's 2nd District behind ending the ritual. The next question is which fixed clock best serves Idaho families, farms and the workday, and whether state lawmakers want to make that choice before federal enactment settles it for them.