Massachusetts state senators have advanced a bill, dubbed the "fun agenda," to lift the state's decades-old ban on happy hour drink promotions, part of a wider push to boost the state's nightlife and entertainment scene, Mixmag reported, citing CBS News. Democratic senators submitted the bill to the Massachusetts Senate on July 24, aiming at some of the strictest liquor licensing laws in the US.
The Senate has already passed amendments removing the happy hour ban and creating permanent outdoor drinking districts.
Other passed amendments include a cap on the resale price of concert tickets and a new "micro-grant" fund for performers, artists and promoters. Proposals that didn't pass on the first vote, including extending last call to 3am and allowing Sunday alcohol sales before 10am, will go to a conference committee for further negotiation.
The bill follows an economic boost Boston saw from hosting matches during the 2026 World Cup, which drove a 28% jump in leisure spending across the seven games played in the city.
"I think we've seen this summer what's possible when we embrace new ideas and find new ways of connecting people," said Julian Cyr, the Democratic state senator representing Provincetown.
The facts
- Senate amendments would lift the happy hour ban and add outdoor drinking districts
- Bill submitted to the Massachusetts Senate on July 24, 2026
- Follows a 28% leisure-spending boost tied to Boston's 2026 World Cup matches
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