Fresh off signing a law to let cities and towns across the state extend last call for two months this summer, Gov. Maura Healey threw her support behind another liquor law expansion Tuesday morning.
Healey said on WEEI 93.7 FM that she “personally” supports happy hour — which allows for specifically discounted alcohol prices, but is illegal in Massachusetts.
Since 1984, the state has maintained a ban on special or reduced-price alcohol drink promotions to curb binge drinking and alcohol-related driving incidents and crashes. But the state also has a reputation for a lacking nightlife scene, especially for young people.
Healey has made attracting and retaining young professionals a priority of her administration. While this group has been leaving Massachusetts at higher rates than other populations, the reasons extend beyond the state’s social scene and include factors such as high prices for a shallow pool of available housing.
But on Tuesday morning the governor made it clear she is interested in doing more to create “vibrancy,” which she says is good for both residents and small businesses.
“I personally support happy hour. That said, it’s, again, it’s a local option,” Healey said. “But for me, it’s especially, I really want 20-somethings, 18- to 35 year-olds staying in Boston, staying in Massachusetts. And it’s really important that we create spaces for them to hang out and socialize.”
She noted that happy hour is just “one thing” and “there are different things you can do to create that. But I want to build a better vibe for young people here in the state, and young people who want to come here to stay here, hopefully.”
Healey signed a law Monday at 5:32 p.m. to allow bars to extend last call an hour past their license limit, until 3 a.m. at the latest, and allow for public alcohol consumption “districts” through July 31. Both require individual municipalities to opt in before the measures take effect.
She endorsed the bill as it was moving through the Legislature, and signed it about two hours after landed on her desk Monday afternoon.
Lawmakers pitched the bill as a way to make the most of an influx of international visitors this summer for the World Cup held in Foxborough, creating an opportunity for local businesses from increased foot traffic and more spending on later nights.
On WEEI the morning after the signing, host Greg Hill asked the governor if the two-month authorization could serve as a pilot program for the state to consider the later last call permanently in the future.
“Yeah, I think it could be,” Healey replied. “We’re going to do this through the end of July, and we’ll see how it goes. I think allowing people more forms of entertainment after hours — we’ve expanded the T’s hours, right? We run the T later into the night, because we want people to be out and be able to enjoy themselves. And the World Cup is a great opportunity to test this out.”
The governor emphasized that the last call expansion and public drinking districts are a local option opt-in, as cities and towns “know what’s going to work best” for themselves.
“So I think this is a good opportunity for a city to test it out, see how it goes,” she said. “I’m all for more vibrancy and more things happening later at night. We look at New York, there are other places that are doing this. We don’t have to do the exact same thing, but I’d love to see more vibrancy and more options.”
