Half-Hour Time Change? New Proposal Sparks Montana Debate

Montanans, like most of the country, are getting ready to change our clocks forward in a couple of weeks. It will be time to move to Daylight Saving Time, which begins at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March.

Why Daylight Saving Time Is So Controversial

It’s been a few years since Montana passed legislation to keep the state in Daylight Saving Time permanently, but it won’t happen until other states in the West do the same thing, and it doesn’t look like that is going to happen any time soon. 

READ MORE: When Will Montana Stop Changing Clocks? What to Know for 2026

A bill has been introduced that tries to find some middle ground on this issue, literally. 

It’s called the Daylight Act of 2026. It was introduced by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), and it suggests that people move their clocks ahead by 30 minutes ahead and then do away with changing our clocks twice a year, according to The Hill.  

What the Daylight Act of 2026 Would Change

There has been a lot of research done on the effects of losing an hour of sleep. There are more heart attacks, car accidents, and work-related accidents in the few days after a time change. While changing clocks to the half-hour may not cause as much sleep disruption as a full hour, the logistics of changing the entire country’s clocks a half-hour ahead or behind seem like a huge undertaking. 

READ MORE: Montana’s High Interest in Daylight Saving Time Could Signal Time for a Change

Not every country in the world has its time synced to the top of the hour. For example, Afghanistan has its clocks on the half-hour when others are at the top of the hour.  

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It will be interesting to see what happens with the bill. I am doubtful it will be passed, but it does bring up the conversation of doing away with changing our clocks twice a year.