A bill that would have made Daylight Saving Time permanent in Tennessee has failed to pass a House committee after facing resistance from East Tennesseans.
The bill would have eliminated the biannual “Spring Forward/Fall Back” switch from standard to daylight time and back. The bill’s sponsors say most Tennesseans are in favor of the idea, but acknowledge the bulk of that support comes from Middle and West Tennessee, two regions located in the Central Time Zone.
East Tennesseans, on the other hand, were concerned the bill would have put them out of sync with the rest of their Eastern Time Zone neighbors six months out of each year. It also would have delayed sunrise during the winter months, leading to long, dark mornings.
A compromise bill excluded East Tennessee and would have made DST permanent for only the Middle and West regions of the state. However, that bill was rejected by a one-vote margin.
The Senate has no plans to pick up the bill.