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After years of complaints about the twice yearly change from standard time to daylight saving time, this weekend may be the last time — unless, of course, U.S. politicians get in the way.

We spring ahead to daylight savings time once again at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 12.

“This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid,” Florida Senator Marco Rubio said in a press release last week. “Locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support. This Congress, I hope that we can finally get this done.”

Rubio introduced the Sunshine Protection Act in 2021 and it was passed unanimously by Congress in 2022. It would have locked in daylight saving time. A similar bill in the House of Representatives was never tabled as politicians there argued there were more important matters on their plate.

Rubio tabled a 2023 version of his bill on March 2 and U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan, also a Republican from Florida, tabled companion legislation in the House.

If both pass before the scheduled switch back to standard time on Nov. 5 — and President Joe Biden signs the bill into law — this could be the last time change.

In 2019, a survey found 93% of British Columbians supported permanent daylight saving time. The provincial government subsequently passed legislation but delayed implementation until a similar change was made in the western United States, which brings the matter back to the federal government.

READ MORE: Blame the California Senate when B.C. turns clocks back on Nov. 1

The benefits of permanent daylight saving time, according to Rubio, includes fewer car crashes, reduced risk of stroke and seasonal depression, a 27% reduction in robberies, reduced childhood obesity and a boost to the economy.

Some House representatives, last year, raised concerns about whether the clocks should be changed to permanent standard time instead.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine argues that switching in the spring impacts circadian rhythms, increases cardiovascular morbidity, triggers missed medical appointments and more emergency room visits.

There was also a divide between tourism states that wanted visitors to stay out later and farming states that wanted more daylight in the mornings.

Changing the clocks was first talked about as far back as 1784 when Benjamin Franklin, serving as an American envoy in France, suggested a change in order to save on candles.

In 1905, British outdoorsman William Willet suggested a change, in part, so he would have more time to golf in the evenings.

READ MORE: Golfing in the evening inspiration for Daylight Savings Time

That led to a 1908 bill in the British House of Commons that failed.

That same year, Port Arthur, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) become the first city in the world to adopt daylight saving time.

Germany was the first country in the world to adopt the time change, in 1916, in an effort to conserve coal. Canada, the U.S. and others followed suit.

Now, it’s up to the U.S. federal government to say yay or nay to stopping a practice that is almost universally hated.

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