While Indiana has a long, complicated history with daylight saving time, the Hoosier state isn’t the only one with issues.
A new bill proposed to the Montana State Legislature wants to ditch daylight saving time all together and introduce Montana Standard Time. This would prevent the leaps forward and jumps back most have grown accustomed to.
Opponents believe it could shake up the daily life of the average person living in the state.
If Senate Bill 206 passes, opponents are afraid ranchers would have to wake up earlier – close to 3 a.m. – to tend to agriculture needs, as the sun will rise and set earlier.
They also are afraid students would miss participation in outdoor sports once the sun begins to set earlier in the fall.
Some of those same concerns may have been the reason why the Indiana General Assembly outlawed daylight saving time in 1949.
Things took a turn in 2006 when the entire state of Indiana became the 48th state to observe daylight saving time – leaving behind Arizona and Hawaii.
1918: Congress approves the Standard Time Act, putting Indiana in the Central Time Zone
1919: Standard Time Act of 1918 repealed
1949: Indiana General Assembly outlaws Daylight Saving Time
1957: New law passed to make Central Time the official time zone of Indiana
1961: Indiana legislature repeals the law made in 1957
1968: Time Life broadcasting leads federal lawsuit to force the observance of DST, and wins
1972: Indiana General Assembly places NW and SW Indiana in the Central Time Zone and the rest of the state on Eastern Time.
2006: The entire state of Indiana becomes the 48th state to observe Daylight Saving Time across the board.
Today: While all of Indiana officially observes Daylight Saving Time, 12 of the 92 counties are on Central Time, with the rest still on Eastern Time.
Learn more about Indiana’s history with time zones and daylight saving time in the video player above.
