A state representative on Monday revived an attempt to eliminate daylight saving time in Arkansas.
House Bill 1368 by Rep. Sarah Capp, R-Ozark, would make Arkansas the third state to observe standard time year-round.
The bill would exempt the state from the federally mandated daylight saving time, which shifts the clock forward from the first Sunday in March to first Sunday in November. Arizona and Hawaii operate under standard time year-round.
Federal law allows for states to opt out of daylight saving time, but they cannot adopt daylight saving time year-round.
[RELATED: Complete Democrat-Gazette coverage of the Arkansas Legislature]
Florida and California both passed laws last year to eliminate standard time in those states, but those wouldn't take effect until Congress amends the law to allow such a change (a proposal to do so has been introduced).
In March, the Congressional Research Office found that 16 states have proposed legislation to adopt a permanent time variation.
Daylight saving time was enacted during World War I to conserve energy.
Rep. David Meeks, R-Conway, introduced a measure similar to HB1368 in 2015, but it was soundly defeated on the House floor 11-69.
-- Hunter Field
CORRECTION: Then-Rep. David Meeks, R-Conway, sponsored a 2015 bill that would have allowed Arkansas to eliminate daylight saving time. An earlier version of this story misstated the 2015 bill’s sponsor.