The Senate Committee on State Affairs convened on May 1, 2025, to discuss several key legislative proposals, notably House Bill 1393 and Senate Bill 692, both concerning Daylight Saving Time. The meeting began with public testimony opposing HB 1393, which seeks to establish permanent Daylight Saving Time. Witnesses, including a representative from the agricultural community, argued that this change would negatively impact daily routines, particularly for families who need to wake up early for work and school.

One speaker emphasized that the shift to permanent Daylight Saving Time would result in dark mornings, with sunrise occurring as late as 8:30 AM in Eastern Texas and past 9:00 AM in Western Texas. This, they argued, would force children to wake up in the dark and disrupt natural sleep patterns. The speaker referenced historical attempts to implement similar measures in the 1970s, which were met with significant public backlash and were ultimately repealed.

Another witness, Josh Findlay from Dallas, echoed these concerns, stating that permanent Daylight Saving Time has been proven to be detrimental to health and well-being. He highlighted that many states are now considering moving to permanent standard time, which aligns better with natural daylight and is supported by sleep scientists. Findlay urged the committee to vote against HB 1393 and in favor of SB 692, which advocates for permanent standard time.

The committee then moved on to discuss House Bill 2884, presented by Senator Bettencourt. This bill is identical to Senate Bill 1200, which had previously passed unanimously out of the committee. Due to timing issues, the House version was introduced instead. The committee noted that HB 2884 had also received broad support in the House, passing with a vote of 38 to 5.

As the meeting concluded, public testimony on HB 1393 was closed, and the committee left the bills pending for further consideration. The discussions highlighted a growing sentiment among Texans favoring a return to standard time, reflecting broader national trends in the ongoing debate over Daylight Saving Time.