U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) wants to let the sun shine.

Tuberville is reintroducing the Sunshine Protection Act in the U.S. Senate in a joint push with Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Vern Buchanan, both of Florida. Buchanan introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would make Daylight Savings Time permanent, ending the practice of allowing clocks to fall back in autumn and spring forward in March.

In a press conference Wednesday, March 8, Tuberville said putting an end to the twice-a-year clock change would provide more time for farmers to work and provide significant health benefits. The extra hours of sunlight, he said, could help encourage Alabama residents to spend more time outside.

"This is a benefit to farmers and will improve our health and put America on the path to a brighter future," Tuberville said.

Daylight Savings Time was implemented during World War I as a means to conserve energy. Hawaii abandoned the law in 1967 and Arizona followed suit the next year. Officials from both states argued that the time change was unnecessary due to the abundance of daylight hours in those states.

Federal law dictates that Congress can pass legislation to end the time change or that a state government can put an end to the time changes only after submitting detailed information to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation that demonstrates how the change would serve the "convenience of commerce."

The Alabama State Legislature passed a bill in 2021 to permanently implement Daylight Savings Time, but that rule won't take effect until legislation is passed at the federal level.

Tuberville initially introduced the Sunshine Protection Act in 2022 and it passed the U.S. Senate but was not brought up for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives meaning it must be reintroduced this session.

Daylight Savings Time begins this year on Sunday, March 12, with clocks jumping ahead an hour at 2 a.m.