Alabama does not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST) because it passed a law in 2021 to adopt permanent daylight saving time—meaning the state would stay on DST year-round—but this change is contingent on congressional approval. Until the U.S. Congress authorizes such a move federally, Alabama remains on standard time along with the rest of the country.
The related state that also doesn’t observe DST is Arizona, which has long opted out of DST due to its hot climate; less daylight in the evening helps keep temperatures cooler for longer.
The very simple reason Alabama (and Arizona) don’t switch clocks is that federal law allows states to opt out entirely from observing DST, and Alabama has chosen to remain on permanent DST pending Congressional approval, while Arizona sticks to permanent standard time to avoid extra heat in the evenings.
Sources
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time_in_the_United_States)
(https://landline.media/action-on-daylight-saving-time-continues-around-the-country/)
(https://economictimes.com/news/international/us/daylight-saving-time-why-did-two-us-states-not-change-the-time-heres-what-you-may-need-to-know/articleshow/104993234.cms)
(https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5464355-daylight-saving-time-which-states-want-to-stop-changing-the-clocks/)
(https://www.transportation.gov/regulations/daylight-saving-time)
