Oregonians are moving closer to avoiding the annual “spring forward” and “fall back.”

Last week, the Senate passed Senate Bill 320, which would establish year-round daylight saving time. The proposal, which has broad support from both Republicans and Democrats, now heads to the Oregon House.

Across the country, standard time is recognized from early November through mid-March, when the switch to daylight saving time provides eight months of later sunrises and sunsets. Sticking with daylight saving would give Oregonians an extra hour of light in their winter evenings.

But, as critics point out, ignoring the move back to standard time means there’ll be some pretty dark mornings through the winter. Sunrise on Dec. 21, for instance, would be at 8:48 a.m.

What will permanent daylight savings look like?

The yellow area shows times the sun would be up under permanent daylight saving. We’ve based the times on data for Portland in 2018 from the U.S. Naval Observatory. Tap your screen or roll your mouse left to right to change the date.

Will standard time go away immediately?

No. Even if lawmakers in the Oregon House agree to the plan and Gov. Kate Brown signs off, the bill only takes effect if both California and Washington make the same decision.

And our neighboring states are well on their way. California voters approved a daylight saving measure last November and Washington lawmakers already passed a bill that will put the issue to a vote in November 2020.

If all three states agree to permanent daylight saving time, the region would still need to secure approval from Congress.

Fog over Happy Valley at sunrise, Jan. 2, 2014.Thomas Boyd

Would all of Oregon switch over?

No. All of the state is in the Pacific time zone except for Malheur County, which is on Mountain time. If the bill takes effect, Malheur County would stay on the same clock as nearby Boise, continuing the annual switches between daylight and standard time.

The cabbage harvest on Sauvie Island at sunrise, September 18, 2012. Benjamin Brink/The OregonianBenjamin Brink

Have other states made the change?

Yes. Florida became the first state to approve permanent daylight saving time and is awaiting congressional approval.

Hawaii, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Arizona -- except the Navajo Nation – stay on standard time year-round.

An August 2018 sunset at Sunset Bay State Park on the southern Oregon coast. Jamie Hale

Who supports the move?

President Donald Trump and several key members of Congress, including Sen. Ron Wyden favor year-round daylight time.

In Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown loves the idea. When asked if she supported the move to ditch the yearly time shift, the Democrat told reporters, “Hell yes!”

House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, has said that she like the idea, but that she’d rather remain on standard time year-round.

Sunrise near The Dalles dam on the Columbia River, June 8, 2012.Jamie Francis

What do critics say?

Opponents cite several issues. Some worry about safety risks for children who might have to walk to school in the dark.

Others downplay arguments the change is a necessary move to tackle climate change. They point to a U.S. Department of Energy study from 2008 that reported the country uses 0.5 percent less energy for every additional day of daylight saving time. However, the report also showed southern states didn’t recoup as much energy savings, perhaps because they needed more air conditioning.

Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Beaverton, and others worry about unintended consequences. Steiner Hayward, who is Jewish, said daylight saving’s 9 a.m. winter sunrises would “significantly impede the ability of people to participate in group prayer and make it to work on time.” She’d prefer to stay on standard time year-round.

Sunrise from the bluffs at Cottonwood Canyon State Park, August 8, 2013.Jamie Francis

When did all this “spring forward” and “fall back” business start anyway?

Daylight saving time was introduced in 1918. Some states opted in over the next 50 years, while others stuck with standard. In 1966, Congress established daylight time nationwide for about six months out of the year.

The daylight saving period grew over the years and in 2007, was set from mid-March to early November.

The Associated Press contributed to this report