Daylight Saving Time Returns to Louisiana – Sooner Than You Think

After surviving Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, and a few rounds of severe storms we have finally reached the unofficial-official "beginning of spring". It's that time when we lose an hour of sleep and gain an hour of daylight to be too tired after to work to do anything.

The bi-annual adjustment of the clocks, also known as the switch from and return to Daylight Saving Time is one of the most "hated" things that we do in this country. Almost two-thirds of Americans are done with "springing forward and falling back". We want our clocks to be like Ron Popeil's chicken roaster. We want to set it and forget it. 

Should Louisiana Go with Permanent Daylight Saving Time or Permanent Standard Time?

There are different answers to that question depending on who you talk to. Those who study sleep and our health are suggesting that we should lean more toward a permanent standard time. Their reasoning was based on overall health, mental health, and observations of school-age children and their classroom studies.

Those who support the idea of a permanent switch to daylight saving time argue that more daylight in the evening hours would improve public safety, it would invite social and commercial activity after working hours, and the move would save many Americans money on their electricity bill.

Most of the people that we have discussed the idea with don't seem to care one way or the other. They just want the decision-makers to pick a side and make a choice. The feeling is whatever is decided, we'll get used to it.

The State of Louisiana currently has a trigger law on the books that will go into effect should the federal government decide to move forward with a permanent Daylight Saving Time. The federal law is called the Sunshine Protection Act.

What Would it Look Like Outside if Louisiana Went to Permanent Daylight Saving Time?

To be honest, most of us wouldn't notice that much of a change. Those who would notice would be those who go to work early in the morning. If Louisiana went to a permanent Daylight Saving Time we'd have sunrise around 6 in the morning. It would vary by a few minutes depending on the time of year. Our sunsets would be between 7 pm and 8 pm each evening.

If Louisiana opted to stay on Standard Time then our mornings would be a little brighter a little earlier and we'd lose the afternoon sun between 6 pm and 7 pm depending on the time of year. The physical changes between the two aren't really that noticeable.

When Does Louisiana Observe Daylight Saving Time?

Louisiana residents who want to be on time with the rest of the world will need to make the leap forward on March 10, 2024. That's the official day for "springing forward". We are technically supposed to make the time change at 2 in the morning on that day but most of us will roll the clock forward at bedtime on the previous Saturday night.

Then again, most of our electronic devices reset their own clocks so it's only the microwave and that old clock radio you have to really worry about. There is also a clock in the car. The clock in my car doesn't reset itself automatically maybe yours does. For some reason that's always the last timepiece a reset whenever we have to do the "clock thing".