Healey wants happy hour back. House leaders and restaurants don't.
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Even with Gov. Maura Healey's support, bringing back happy hour in Massachusetts faces steep opposition from restaurant owners and the House.
Why it matters: The governor, Senate and 70% of Mass. voters want it, but House Democratic leaders and restaurant operators remain firmly opposed to legalizing drink discounts.
- The bills floating around Beacon Hill would give cities and towns the option to allow discounts on alcoholic drinks, a practice that was banned in Massachusetts in 1984.
Catch up quick: The Senate has passed versions of a happy hour restoration more than once, but it's always hit roadblocks in the House.
- The most recent attempt from Rep. Samantha Montaño (D-Jamaica Plain) was killed by House leaders in November.
- It was included in an economic development package in 2022, but stripped out when the House and Senate negotiated their compromise.
What's different this time is that Healey won't veto happy hour the way former Gov. Charlie Baker would have.
Between the lines: The real sticking points remain the top Democratic leaders in the House and the people who operate the restaurants that would be expected to lower their prices.
- The Massachusetts Restaurant Association argues it would lead to a "race to the bottom" for menu pricing and cause liquor liability insurance costs to skyrocket for restaurant owners.
What they're saying: "There's just not the support in the restaurant/bar community for happy hour," Montaño told Axios.
- If the people providing the goods aren't into it, Montaño said, supporters need to keep organizing to gain more support.
Even with strong public support, backers of happy hour haven't made much traction developing a grassroots campaign to get more restaurant owners on board or to sway the Democrats in charge.
- Petitioners attempted to put the happy hour question directly before voters on the 2022 ballot, but failed to gather enough signatures.
What we're watching: Whether Healey makes happy hour something of a priority next year.
- If the governor (assuming she's reelected) includes it in her next economic development bill, it could go a long way toward getting House members to change their minds.
- Healey could also address some restaurateurs' concerns about what would and wouldn't be allowed under a Massachusetts happy hour plan.
Of note: Lawmakers showed they could act fast to change the state's alcohol laws when they recently allowed later bar and restaurant operating hours during the World Cup.
- Cities' and towns' experiences with more lax booze regulations this summer could serve as something of a pilot program for further loosening of the rules next year.
The bottom line: It will take more restaurant owners changing their minds about happy hour, or more representatives willing to buck leadership, to alter the House's position.
- Until then, don't expect booze discounts in the commonwealth any time soon.