The Daylight Saving Time bill has passed Tennessee’s house. HB 0247 aims to establish Daylight Saving Time as the standard time in Tennessee.

The legislation passed a House floor vote Monday. It still must pass the state Senate, be signed off by Governor Lee, then go to Congress. If approved, it will come back to the Legislature.

Under an amendment to the bill, the year-round Daylight Saving Time would start the first Sunday of November under compliance with the following requirements:

“(1) The United States congress authorizing states to observe daylight saving time year round;

(2) The commissioner of transportation certifying in writing to the speakers of the senate and the house of representatives the congressional action described in (1); and

(3) The general assembly, by joint resolution, confirming the congressional action described in (1) and authorizing the implementation of the state’s observation of daylight saving time year round.”

The proposed bill would be similar to Florida’s “Sunshine Protection Act,” which was signed into state law by Gov. Rick Scott, but still needs to be passed by Congress to make the law permanent.

The bill was filed for introduction in January by Representative Rick Tillis (R-Lewisburg).