Will Montana Do Away with Daylight Savings Time Changes?
We had a caller on our statewide radio show Tuesday morning ask a question: will Montana ever do away with daylight savings time changes? She's tired of having her clock thrown off every Fall and every Spring when we have to spring our clocks back, or fall forward.
I told her I was pretty sure that I saw a news report about a bill doing just that actually getting passed by both chambers in the Montana Legislature, but that the bill would still need to be signed by governor. Additionally, the bill would be dependent on a few other neighboring states also making the change.
Either way, I told her I would find out and get an answer for her. (I also admitted that it is a challenge keeping tabs on all of the work being accomplished by the current legislative session, since Governor Greg Gianforte has already signed at least 150-200 bills)
Turns out the story I was recollecting was a report from James Bradley with the UM Legislative News Service on April 21st. HiLineToday.com has the report: (h/t The Disney family in Libby, MT)
Senate Bill 254 passed out of the legislature Monday. It would stop the state from falling back an hour in November if three other states in the region pass similar legislation. The federal government also needs to give Montana its blessing.
I checked with Kyle Schmauch, a communications aide to the GOP Senate majority in the Montana Legislature. He tells me the bill passed both chambers and is currently in the enrolling process that happens between the final legislative vote and when it reaches the governor's desk. Bottom line: the bill will be on the governor's desk soon. Will he sign it? We will soon find out.
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