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Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-06-20
HB1393

Regular Session

Relating to daylight saving time.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB1393: Government Affairs Overview

HB1393 establishes "Texas Time," mandating year-round Daylight Saving Time and eliminating biannual clock changes. Crucially, this is a "trigger law" that remains dormant and unenforceable until the United States Congress amends the Uniform Time Act to authorize states to observe permanent Daylight Saving Time. Until federal action occurs, businesses must continue current time-change practices.

Rep. William Metcalf·House Bill·Regular Session

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-06-20

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HB1393
Relating to daylight saving time.
Low Urgency
Passed with Opposition
House Vote133 - 11
YEA
92% in favor144 voting
Senate Vote26 - 5
YEA
NAY
84% in favor31 voting
16
Total Opposition Votes
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-06-20
Primary Author: Rep. William Metcalf
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Statutory enactment).
  • Compliance Deadline: Indefinite/Conditional. Implementation is paused pending federal legislation. If Congress acts, the transition will likely occur on the effective date of the federal statute.
  • Agency Rulemaking: No immediate rulemaking is required. However, if the federal trigger occurs, expect guidance from the Texas Comptroller regarding the specific transition date to ensure tax filing synchronization.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Hold Current Procedures: Do not change clocks or schedules. Continue observing standard biannual time changes.
  • IT System Verification: Instruct IT leadership to confirm that enterprise software can support a permanent DST setting without requiring a full system overhaul.
  • Monitor Federal Legislation: Set regulatory alerts for the "Sunshine Protection Act" or similar federal bills; this is the only trigger that matters.
  • Update Boilerplate: Begin adjusting standard contract language to remove specific references to "Standard Time."

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Time of the Essence Clauses: Review cross-border Master Service Agreements (MSAs). If Texas adopts permanent DST while neighboring states (OK, LA, NM) do not, a "9:00 AM CST" deadline becomes ambiguous.
  • Definitions: Amend future contract boilerplate to define deadlines as "Prevailing Local Time in [City], Texas" rather than "Central Standard Time" to avoid interpretation disputes during winter months.

Hiring/Training

  • Safety Protocols: If triggered, winter mornings will remain dark until 8:00 AM or later. Update safety training for outdoor labor (construction, energy, logistics) to mandate high-visibility gear and lighting for morning shifts that were previously conducted in daylight.
  • Shift Scheduling: Prepare to adjust start times for strictly daylight-dependent operations.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Payroll Audits: Verify that time-keeping software (Kronos, ADP, etc.) allows for the disabling of automatic "Spring Forward/Fall Back" adjustments. Failure to patch this upon the trigger event could result in wage and hour disputes.
  • IT Configuration: Systems relying on UTC offsets must be prepared to patch the "Texas" time zone definition to avoid data timestamp errors.

Fees & Costs

  • No Statutory Fees: The bill introduces no new government fees.
  • Operational Costs: Budget for potential IT vendor costs to patch ERP and operating systems (Windows/Linux) to recognize "Texas Time" as a distinct time zone if the federal law passes.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • The "El Paso" Disconnect: The law applies to the entire state, including the Mountain Time Zone counties. If Texas triggers this law but New Mexico does not, El Paso will be one hour ahead of its primary economic partner, Las Cruces, NM, for half the year.
  • Implementation Buffer: The bill does not specify a "grace period" following federal enactment. If Congress passes a law effective immediately, Texas businesses may have zero lead time to adjust automated systems.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Nov 18, 2024
Passed House
Apr 16, 2025
Passed Senate
May 22, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsDaylight Saving Time
03

House Authors

Rep. William MetcalfRepublican · Primary Author
Joint Authors
Coauthors (4)

Senate Sponsors

Sen. Paul BettencourtRepublican · Primary Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

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More from Rep. William Metcalf

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB1393

Q

What does Texas HB1393 do?

HB1393 establishes "Texas Time," mandating year-round Daylight Saving Time and eliminating biannual clock changes. Crucially, this is a "trigger law" that remains dormant and unenforceable until the United States Congress amends the Uniform Time Act to authorize states to observe permanent Daylight Saving Time. Until federal action occurs, businesses must continue current time-change practices.

Q

Who authored HB1393?

HB1393 was authored by Texas Representative William Metcalf during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB1393 signed into law?

HB1393 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

How significant are the changes in HB1393?

The regulatory priority for HB1393 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB1393?

The cost impact of HB1393 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB1393 address?

HB1393 addresses topics including daylight saving time.

Q

What are the key dates for HB1393?

Key dates for HB1393: Effective date is 2025-06-20. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026