Michigan’s Last Clock Change? Sunshine Act Fight Moves to Senate

The day many in Michigan have been waiting for may finally be arriving soon: the last chapter of our twice-a-year ritual of changing every clock we own, including the one in my truck that requires the owner's manual, three Hail Marys, and a minor in electrical engineering.

RELATED: Six Weeks of Sunrises at 9 a.m. or Later? The Impact of Year-Round Daylight Saving Time

The U.S. House passed the Sunshine Protection Act 308-117 in July. The bill would make daylight saving time permanent, but it's currently parked in the Senate, where President Donald Trump is urging Republican senators to release their holds and move it forward. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas remains one of the loudest opponents, arguing permanent daylight saving time would leave children and workers starting winter mornings in darkness.

Permanent Daylight Saving Time Would Get Dark in Michigan

A bus passing over a bridge during the evening.

For Michigan, that concern is worth considering. Permanent daylight saving time doesn't magically create more sunshine. It simply moves an hour from morning to evening. In Lansing, winter sunrise could slide past 9 a.m., while sunset would move closer to 6 p.m. That means brighter drives home and some very dark school-bus stops.

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Here's the part of my bi-annual hunt for my truck's owner's manual that I care about the most. Under current law, Michigan falls back at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 1, 2026.

What Has to Happen Before Michigan Skips Fall Back

Photo Credit: Benjamin Wedemeyer via Unsplash

But the House-passed bill contains no delayed effective date. If the Senate approves it and the President signs it before November 1, Michigan would stay on daylight saving time and skip that fall-back entirely.

RELATED: Michigan School Zone Laws Drivers Forget Every Fall

This means our March 8, 2026, spring-forward may have been Michigan's final clock change. If Congress doesn't act before November 1, prepare to fall back again and watch me angrily excavate my glovebox.