FORT MYERS, Fla. -- This Sunday marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, and everyone has to set their clocks ahead an hour. But three Florida lawmakers want this to be the last time the country has to do it.
Wednesday, Senator Marco Rubio, Rick Scott and representative Vern Buchanan re-introduced legislation to make Daylight Saving Time year-round in Florida and nationwide.
People visit Florida for the sunshine, but during Daylight Saving Time, Floridians lose an hour of sunlight in the evening.
But Florida legislators are trying to keep that extra hour of daylight in the evening with the Sunshine Protection Act.
“Daylight hours are awesome because you have the chance to play more you get to be outside,” said Fort Myers parent, Rick Butor.
Butor said it would be great for outdoor fun but not for his daughter’s bed time. “It’s still daylight at the end of the day, at like 8 or 8:30 p.m., and for her, it’s hard for her to think it’s time to go to bed,” Butor said.
Daylight saving time could also be problematic for kids at the bus stop in the morning. “I hate seeing the kids out in the dark waiting on school buses,” said Fort Myers native, John Yarbrouth. “There are accidents it seems all the time.”
Yarbrough has been playing golf for about 50 years. He said it would also change his tee time. “I usually play every Sunday morning at 7 in the morning,” said Yarbrough. “I’ll still golf on Sunday morning, it will just be an hour difference.”
But for Lisa Bethune, co-owner of Coastal Dayz Brewery in Fort Myers, she said a permanent shift to longer days would be a boost for business. “It would be great actually cause when it’s light out, you can see everyone out on the patio having some cold beer,” said Bethune.
Senator Rubio introduced the bill in Florida last year and state legislatures approved it.
Now it's up to Congress in Washington D.C. to decide to make Daylight Saving Time permanent in Florida and across the country.
