OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate approved Senate Bill 7 Tuesday. The measure, by Sen. Blake Cowboy Stephens, R-Tahlequah, would stop Oklahoma from changing the clock twice a year and lock in Daylight Saving Time (DST) year round.

“Oklahoma needs to be on the right side of this issue,” Stephens said. “Locking the clock in DST has countless benefits, and will result in our state being safer, healthier, more productive, and more profitable. Overall, this will improve the quality of life for all Oklahomans. I’d like to thank my colleagues for their support on this measure and look forward to the day we permanently lock Oklahoma’s clock.”

This legislation relies on the Sunshine Protection Act to be passed at the federal level before being enacted in the state. The Sunshine Protection Act gives states the rights to choose to permanently adopt Daylight Saving Time or practice standard time. Nearly half of the states have already passed legislation to stop their clock, with 19 choosing DST.

“In less than two weeks, we change time again, and I encourage all Oklahomans to pay attention to how they feel with the extra hour of daylight and to take note of everything they can accomplish during that extra evening hour after school or work,” Stephens said.

SB 7 now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.