International

Mexico’s Senate votes to end daylight saving time for most of the country

Mexico’s Senate voted on Wednesday to end daylight saving time in most parts of the country, sending the legislation to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is expected to sign it. 

The measure would have most of Mexico remain permanently in standard time instead of daylight saving time after most of the country turns its clocks back an hour on Sunday.

The United States will turn its clocks back on the following Sunday, Nov. 6. 

The Mexican Senate said in a tweet that the legislation will not affect municipalities in the north near the border with the U.S., which will continue to observe daylight saving time. 

It said the law seeks to guarantee the human right to health, increase safety for people in the morning with an earlier sunrise, raise productivity and reduce electricity consumption. 

The body passed the measure comfortably with more than 57 percent of senators voting in favor and less than 30 percent voting against. 

The New York Times reported that Mexico originally adopted daylight saving time in 1996. 

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation earlier this year to permanently move the country to daylight saving time, but the House has not yet acted on the legislation.

Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe daylight saving time and instead stay in standard time year-round.

Updated at 4:57 p.m.