Louisiana is not currently getting rid of Daylight Saving Time, but it has already passed a law to do so. In 2020, Governor John Bel Edwards signed Act 133, which locks Louisiana into year-round Daylight Saving Time the moment federal law allows it.1Louisiana State Legislature. HB132 – 2020 Regular Session Congress has not yet made that change, so Louisiana residents still spring forward and fall back on the regular federal schedule.
What Act 133 Says
House Bill 132, introduced by Representative Dodie Horton during the 2020 regular session, became Act 133. It directs Louisiana to adopt Daylight Saving Time as its permanent, year-round standard once Congress amends the Uniform Time Act to permit it.1Louisiana State Legislature. HB132 – 2020 Regular Session If the federal change happens while Louisiana is already on DST, the state simply stays there and never falls back.
Until that federal trigger, the law has no practical effect. It sits on the books, waiting.
Why Louisiana Can’t Act on Its Own
The Uniform Time Act of 1966 gives the U.S. Department of Transportation authority over time zones and the nationwide DST schedule.2U.S. Department of Transportation. Uniform Time Under that law, a state has exactly one way to opt out of the twice-a-year clock change: it can drop DST entirely and stay on permanent standard time. Arizona and most of Hawaii have done that.3GovInfo. Uniform Time Act of 1966 The reverse is not allowed. No state can unilaterally adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time, because the federal law only authorizes exemption from the clock change, not from standard time itself.
Where the Federal Bill Stands
The main federal proposal to clear the way is the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. The Senate passed an earlier version by unanimous voice vote in March 2022, but it stalled in the House and died when that Congress ended.4Congress.gov. S.623 – 117th Congress (2021-2022) – Sunshine Protection Act of 2021
The bill was reintroduced in both chambers for the 119th Congress in January 2025. The Senate version, S.29, went to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which held a committee meeting in late April 2025.5Congress.gov. S.29 – 119th Congress (2025-2026) – Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 A companion House bill, H.R.139, was also introduced.6Congress.gov. H.R.139 – Sunshine Protection Act of 2025 Neither has passed, so Louisiana’s Act 133 stays dormant.
Louisiana’s 2026 Clock Change Dates
Until federal law changes, Louisiana follows the standard national schedule. Clocks spring forward one hour at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and fall back one hour at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of November.7National Institute of Standards and Technology. Daylight Saving Time Rules For 2026, that means:
- Spring forward: Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 2:00 a.m.
- Fall back: Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 a.m.
Louisiana is in the Central Time Zone, so it observes Central Daylight Time (UTC−5) during DST and Central Standard Time (UTC−6) during the rest of the year.8Time and Date. Daylight Saving Time in the United States
What Would Have To Happen Next
If the Sunshine Protection Act or a similar federal bill passes, Act 133 activates on its own and Louisiana locks into permanent Daylight Saving Time with no further state action required.1Louisiana State Legislature. HB132 – 2020 Regular Session If Congress never acts, Louisiana will keep changing its clocks twice a year indefinitely.
There is one other legal path, available right now under existing federal law: the state could drop DST and move to permanent standard time, the way Arizona has, without needing any federal approval.3GovInfo. Uniform Time Act of 1966 No Louisiana legislation taking that route has been introduced.