HELENA — How do you feel about springing forward and falling back every year? The time change is something Montana lawmakers discuss pretty regularly. MTN viewer Mike asked what the future status of daylight saving time is in the treasure state.
First, some history—according to the US Department of Defense, daylight saving time first started in American on March 19, 1918 with the signing of the standard time act. It was mean to save energy costs during World War I. It was only in place for about a year and a half, and repealed with the war’s end.
Daylight saving time was implemented again in Feb. 1942, during World War II. The time change was in place until the war ended in 1945.
Nationally-standard rules for daylight saving time were established in 1966 with the passing of the Uniform Time Act.
Today, state can opt out of the time change, and Hawaii and most of Arizona do.
In Montana, lawmakers have talked about getting rid of the time change in multiple legislative sessions—2009, 2011, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023. A bill draft was requested for the 2025 session, but it didn’t go anywhere.
The most substantial action the Montana Legislature took was approving Senate Bill 254 during the 2021 session, which authorized year-round daylight saving time, but only if was approved by the US Department of Transportation and if three other western states approved a similar measure.
Since those contingencies have not been met, Montanans still have to change their clocks twice a year.
