Texans could get chance to end daylight saving time after House OKs bill

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- Voters could soon have the chance to end daylight saving time in Texas.

An effort to let Texans decide whether to exempt the state from springing forward and falling back each year passed the House Tuesday in a 133-9 vote.

RELATED: These states are exempt from daylight saving time

HJR 117 proposes a statewide referendum that would allow Texans to end the process of gaining or losing an hour annually.

Specifically, voters would be asked to vote "For" or "Against" on this language:

"The constitutional amendment authorizing the state to conduct a statewide referendum to allow the voters to choose between exempting the state from daylight saving time and observing daylight saving time year-round and authorizing the legislature to enact legislation that gives effect to the option preferred by a majority of the voters voting in the statewide referendum."

If passed by the Texas Senate, voters will have the chance to decide on Nov. 5.

SEE ALSO: Texas lawmaker files bill to end Daylight Saving Time in the state

Texas is so large, it falls within two time zones: Mountain and Central Time, separating parts of the state by an hour.

State Sen. Jose Menéndez, of San Antonio, has argued since 2015 that daylight saving time does not make sense in this day and age.

The last time legislators sought to abolish daylight saving time was in 2017, when similar bills died in House and Senate committees.

RELATED: Daylight Saving Time: Reasons why we spring forward and fall back