Florida’s Senate and House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, which is designed to keep the state in daylight saving time year-round. In other words, they would not “fall back” with most of the rest of the country. The bill is seen as a boon to to tourism in that it would provide an extra hour of daylight for popular activities.
However, the Jewish community is hoping to convince Florida Governor Rick Scott not to sign the bill, which would create hardship for religious practitioners. For example, certain morning prayers may not be recited until after sunrise. If Florida were to observe daylight saving time in the winter, the earliest time for prayer would be after 8:00 AM, creating great difficulties for religious Jews who have to get to work or drive carpool.
In addition to Governor Scott’s signature, implementing the bill would require US congressional approval.
Read more in The Forward