The very simple reason why Wisconsin does not currently do daylight saving time—or is considering ending it—is that federal law allows a state that lies entirely within one time zone to opt out of daylight saving time by staying on standard time year-round. Wisconsin, which is wholly in the Central Time Zone, has introduced bills to eliminate daylight saving time because many believe the practice disrupts mental health, productivity, and daily routines. Historically, Wisconsin started daylight saving time in 1957 after a referendum, but there is growing bipartisan support to revert to permanent standard time for the benefits of consistency and well-being. The other state sharing this kind of exemption from daylight saving time is Arizona, which similarly observes standard time year-round under federal allowance for states fully in one time zone.
The reason is federal law enabling single-time-zone states to opt out by choosing to observe standard time all year, with Wisconsin taking legislative actions to make that change official.
SOURCES
(https://thebadgerproject.org/2025/05/07/bill-to-end-daylight-saving-in-wisconsin-introduced-in-state-legislature/)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2eUV-1u57I)
(https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/5149485-daylight-saving-time-2025-these-states-are-trying-to-lock-the-clocks/)
(https://www.ncsl.org/transportation/daylight-saving-time-state-legislation)
