Is it time to end daylight saving time? Or, should we stay on daylight saving time year around?

That’s what Florida lawmakers want to do — stay on daylight saving time all year long. The Florida Senate and House have passed the measure, which is awaiting signature by Florida’s governor, although at this writing, he hasn’t said whether he would sign the measure.

The legislation is likely to face legal action because setting time zones is the job of the federal government. Arizona and Hawaii have chosen to not participate in daylight saving time, but according to the New York Times, states cannot exempt themselves from standard time.

The South Carolina Senate on Thursday passed a bill to end daylight saving time there, and it’s headed to the South Carolina House for consideration.

A number of other states are considering similar legislation.

Is it an idea whose time has come?

When I lived in Michigan, we were on Eastern time, and with daylight saving time each year, we had daylight until well after 9 p.m. I must admit that was nice. It meant more time to sit on the deck in the backyard and visit with friends, more time for evening activities outdoors. It was simply nice.

Regardless the time zone, I look forward to daylight saving time each year because it means, well, more daylight.

What I don’t look forward to is the ending of daylight saving time in the fall. That’s when it’s dark at 5 p.m., nighttime before one even leaves work for the day. It’s depressing, and an indicator of the cold, dark winter to come.

Maybe it’s time we stopped changing our clocks twice a year.

The idea of daylight saving time is said to trace back to Benjamin Franklin and was intended to make better use of daylight. I remember as a child in elementary school, I learned that maybe it was something conceived to assist farmers, perhaps?

At one time I read that making better use of the sunlight in spring and summer — daylight saving time — produced a savings in usage of electricity. However, that savings was apparently offset because of the need for additional electrical usage on dark mornings.

I think the time has come for us to at least have the conversation as to whether changing time is necessary. And while I’m a proponent of anything that gives us more daylight, whether we need to be on standard time or daylight saving time.

Maybe I’m just longing for springtime. Nothing a little beach time wouldn’t cure.

Isn’t it interesting how we’re ready for the new season when it comes? I’m so ready for some warmth and sunshine right now, even though we’ve had such a mild winter here.

Yet, every fall, I’m ready for cool weather, sweaters and football.

Such is the fickleness of life, I guess.

Jan Griffey is general manager of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at jan.griffey@vicksburgpost.com.