In March, we flagged the one thing standing between New Jersey and ditching its twice-yearly clock changes: federal law only lets states opt out of daylight saving time, not standard time, without an act of Congress. That piece asked how New Jersey might get there.
On July 14, the U.S. House of Representatives took a real step toward answering that question. The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide—eliminating the November “fall back” for good. If it clears the Senate and becomes law, New Jersey would gain longer evening daylight year-round.
But the tradeoff is darker mornings, especially in winter.
NJ Sunrises and Sunsets
Sunlight will arrive later in the morning. According to NorthJersey.com, a late October sunrise shifts from around 7:25 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. Thanksgiving will see a shift from 6:55 a.m. to 7:55 a.m. Finally, and the most jarring, early January will see the sunrise jump from around 7:20 a.m. to 8:20 a.m.—meaning many schools will begin while it’s still dark out.
Evenings, meanwhile, would brighten across the board: a 4:30 p.m. winter sunset becomes 5:30 p.m., a 4:45 p.m. sunset becomes 5:45 p.m., and so on, according to NorthJersey.com.
The Pushback
The pushback isn’t concerned with the evenings—they’re worried about the mornings.
Critics warn that permanent daylight saving time would leave kids waiting for school buses in the dark and force commuters onto the road before sunrise. Sleep and health experts have also argued that standard time aligns more closely with the body’s natural circadian rhythms, even as supporters point to broad public support for ending the clock-changing ritual altogether.
What Happens Next
The bill, which is backed by President Trump, still needs Senate approval before it can become law. Until then, New Jersey—and the rest of the country—will keep changing the clocks as usual, including this year’s “fall back” on November 1.
The obstacle we identified back in March hasn’t gone away. But now, Congress has opened a lane that makes the change possible.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.