RALEIGH (AP) — An effort to stop the biannual clock adjustments in North Carolina required to comply with daylight saving time rules passed the state House on Thursday.

The chamber voted 98-17 in favor of legislation that would move clocks up an hour for good in the state — making daylight saving time permanent — but only should Congress pass a law allowing states to act.

Currently states can only opt out of observing daylight saving time.

Lincoln County GOP Rep. Jason Saine said the bill, which also cleared the House in 2019, matches efforts by legislators in other nearby Southern states to end required time shifts in March and November. Saine said the time changes make for difficult body-clock adjustments.

Some supporters of permanent daylight saving time said it will expand outdoor recreation activities in the evenings. But critics point out it would mean more dark mornings going to school and work.

The measure now goes to the Senate, which didn’t take up the 2019 House legislation.

Fifteen states have passed laws or a resolution over the past four years seeking to move to year-round daylight saving time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.