What Montana Could Lose With Permanent Daylight Saving Time

Here we go again! This weekend, we'll turn our clocks back one hour as daylight saving time comes to an end, and we return to standard time.

For many of us, it's become an annual ritual we'd just as soon do away with. Changing the clocks twice a year has been debated for years, and there's plenty of agreement that we'd be better off picking one time and sticking with it.

The Great Debate: Daylight Saving vs. Standard Time

The problem? We can't seem to agree on which time we should keep.

Should we stay on daylight saving time all year, giving us more evening daylight during the winter months? Or should we stick with standard time, which generally provides more daylight in the morning?

Both sides have their supporters, and the debate is far from over.

A Legislative Push: The Sunshine Protection Act

According to the latest legislative information, there has actually been some movement in Washington.

The Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which would make daylight saving time permanent, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on July 14 by a vote of 308 to 117. The bill was then sent to the Senate, where it was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. It has not yet become law.

The issue now is whether the Senate will take action.

Montana Takes a Stand: Year-Round Daylight Saving

Montana has already passed legislation supporting year-round daylight saving time, but that change is contingent on federal authorization and other conditions.

In other words, even though Montana lawmakers have taken a position, we're still waiting for the federal government and other states to help make it happen.

Here's where things get interesting, especially for those of us living in the northern part of the country.

The Case for Standard Time: What Mornings Would Look Like

One of the websites making the case for keeping standard time is Save Standard Time. It provides a look at what our mornings would look like under permanent daylight saving time compared with permanent standard time.

The numbers for Montana are interesting.

According to the site, January 1 sunrise times for Montana vary, depending on where you live.

Take Billings, for example. Under permanent standard time, sunrise on January 1 will be approximately 7:56 a.m.

With permanent daylight saving time, that sunrise would occur approximately 8:56 a.m. on January 1.

That's a difference that could affect many people.

Balancing Mornings and Evenings: Pros and Cons

Of course, there are people who strongly believe permanent daylight saving time is the way to go. They enjoy having more daylight in the evening, especially during the winter months.

Others would much rather have the sun come up earlier, particularly when it comes to school schedules, commuting, and our daily routines.

There are legitimate arguments on both sides, and where you live in the country can make a big difference in how you feel about it.

Ongoing Changes: What’s Next for Daylight Saving Time?

For now, we'll continue changing the clocks. Daylight saving time officially ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 1, when clocks go back one hour.

We'll see whether Congress makes any progress when lawmakers return to Washington, and whether the Senate finally takes up the issue.

In the meantime, we'll have another round of complaints about losing an hour of evening daylight, dark mornings, and the twice-a-year clock-changing ritual.

Maybe someday we'll finally settle this debate.