New Daylight Savings Time Bill Advances in New Jersey: What to Know

Daylight Savings Time has become a controversial practice, with a growing belief among some that it is outdated. New Jersey‘s senatorial delegation shares this belief, having recently advanced legislation that would cause the state to permanently remain on Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) instead of switching to Daylight Savings Time. Continue reading for more information on this recent bill and its impact on the time in New Jersey.

A Permanent Switch to Eastern Daylight Time

New Jersey currently observes Eastern Standard Time (EST) for four months each year and switches to Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) for the remaining eight months, a practice we know as Daylight Savings Time (DST). Senate President Nick Scutari, Senator Shirley K. Turner, and Senator Troy Singleton recently sponsored a new bill to ban the practice of time switches, known as S-1510. This bill would establish EDT as New Jersey‘s permanent time zone year-round.

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The primary reason for this change is concerns around how DST affects human health. Despite many anticipating the extra hour of sleep, DST has been scientifically linked to a disruption in the sleep cycle that affects productivity, mental health, and physical wellness. “You are not getting an extra hour of sleep; you are simply changing the phase,” Helmut Zarbl, director of the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, explained in a research project on DST and its impact on human sleeping patterns. “[and] as with any phase change, this will cause disturbances in sleep, metabolism, mood, bodily functions, and productivity.”

Studies have also discovered that DST is linked to lifestyle disturbances and even fatal accidents. Data collected by the Senate argues that the time shift is “disruptive to commerce and to the daily schedules, safety, and health of the residents of this State” and has a substantial negative influence on the risk of heart attacks.

The above data also suggests that automobile crashes can be a result of sleep deprivation from adjusting our sleep cycles. It is believed that changing to a full-year schedule would reduce pedestrian fatalities by 171 per year and motor vehicle fatalities by 195 per year. Remaining on EDT would also result in more daylight during active hours, improving visibility and crime rates in the evening.

How Passing the Bill Works

As S-1510 is a state bill, it cannot be passed without the approval of the federal government. Congress must amend the U.S. Uniform Time Act of 1966, which requires states to either follow the time-change system or opt out of it to observe Standard Time permanently. Some states, such as Hawaii and Arizona, follow the latter rule. New Jersey‘s goal is different, as it aims to follow Eastern Daylight Time under the new bill, but must either observe the time change or adhere to Eastern Standard Time. Unless the Uniform Time Act is changed at the federal level, S-1510 cannot be approved.

Should S-1510 be enacted, New Jersey’s permanent time may differ from that of bordering states. For example, in months where New York observes Daylight Savings Time, New Jersey will be one hour ahead of New York. This is a major reason why time changes must be approved at the federal level, considering the confusion they can create across states.

S-1510 has been passed at the state level, but federal approval has not yet been obtained for the bill. Still, discussions around other bills related to the time change, such as the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, have made active progress. New Jersey senators have not yet made concrete efforts to influence Congress’s urgency with Daylight Savings Time laws. Still, ongoing press releases and public statements have helped bring sustained attention to S-1510, and bills such as the Sunshine Protection Act will directly influence the probability of the bill’s federal approval.

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