[Trending News] When does daylight saving time start in South Dakota?

Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 2 a.m. local time.
South Dakota currently observes Daylight Saving Time, but there have been efforts to change this.
Only Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not observe Daylight Saving Time in the United States.

It may not feel like the end of winter is near, but, rest assured, spring is just around the corner, even in South Dakota.

In March, millions of Americans turn their clocks forward, marking the start of daylight saving time in 2025. The controversial practice of “springing forward” and “falling back” has been observed in most states for decades.

Under the current daylight saving period, most Americans lose an hour of sleep on the second Sunday of March and gain an hour on the first Sunday of November.

According to Ballotpedia, there was a referendum to get rid of daylight saving time on the November 1968 ballot in South Dakota. The Referendum was known as the South Dakota Daylight Saving Time Referendum, also known as Referendum 1. The ballot was defeated. If passed, South Dakota would not have had to daylight saving time.

Another bill that would have altered the way South Dakotans observed daylight savings time, which was defeated, was on the table last year as well.

Here’s what to know about the annual practice and why we observe it.

When does daylight saving time start in 2025?

Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9.

In the spring, participating states turn clocks forward one hour on the second Sunday of March, causing us to spring forward and lose an hour of sleep.

When does daylight saving time end in 2025?

Clocks “fall back” on Sunday, Nov. 2. Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday of November each year.

Is it daylight saving time now?

No, daylight saving time ended Nov. 3, 2024, and will not start again until March. When daylight saving time ends, clocks are set back one hour to standard time.

Why do we lose an hour in March?

We spring forward, losing an hour, in March to add more hours of daylight in summer evenings.

Which states don’t have daylight saving time?

Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not participate in daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation ‒ which spans across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico ‒ does observe the time change, making it the lone participant in Arizona.

The territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands do not observe daylight saving time.

What’s the point of daylight saving time?

Daylight saving time was introduced in the United States in 1918 with the Standard Time Act, which was meant to lower fuel costs during the First World War. The law also established a standard time and allowed the federal government to create five time zones.

The government stopped observing daylight saving time after World War I ended but reimplemented it during World War II. Congress decided to make daylight saving time permanent for two years from 1973 to 1975, extending the hours of daily sunlight year-round to conserve energy during the oil embargo crisis. However, the law was repealed in 1974 for being unpopular and ineffective.

In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, standardizing the length of daylight saving time. The dates we use to observe daylight saving time today ‒ starting on the second Sunday of March and ending on the first Sunday of November – were established in 2005 when Congress amended the Act.

According to the Department of Transportation, daylight saving time saves energy, prevents traffic injuries and reduces crime.

Is it daylight savings time or daylight saving time?

While it’s common to hear “daylight savings” with an “s,” the correct term is “daylight saving time,” since the practice saves daylight.

Is daylight saving time ending permanently?

Not yet. According to The Arizona Republic, there have been discussions about abolishing the semiannual time changes, and President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and others support it. But any permanent change would require congressional approval.

While several states have passed bills to establish year-round daylight saving time, any changes require federal action. Until the Uniform Time Act is repealed or a new federal bill is passed, the time changes will still occur in 2025.

Is Ohio considering getting rid of daylight savings time?

No state can adopt permanent daylight saving time unless the U.S. Congress passes a law to authorize it first, USA TODAY reports.

However, Ohio’s House State and Local Government Committee passed House Concurrent Resolution 7 in October 2023, urging Congress to enact the Sunshine Uniformity Act. This act would make daylight saving time permanent and end the bi-annual tradition of changing the clocks.

State representatives Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, and Bob Peterson, R-Sabina, sponsored the bill.

Under this resolution, passed by the Ohio House, switching to permanent daylight saving time would increase the hours of sunlight in the evenings during the winter months, which helps combat mental health issues, Creech said.

The bill was adopted by the House and referred to a Senate committee in December 2023.

What states are considering getting rid of daylight saving time?

Ohio is one of at least 30 states considering legislation related to daylight saving time as of 2024. Here are the other states that are considering getting rid of daylight saving time.