H5465 • 2025

An Act authorizing municipalities to opt-in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor licenses and to allow for public consumption in designated districts in summer 2026

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Carole A. Fiola
Last action: 2026-06-03
Official status: Accompanied a new draft, see H5471
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act authorizing municipalities to opt-in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor licenses and to allow for public consumption in designated districts in summer 2026

An Act authorizing municipalities to opt-in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor licenses and to allow for public consumption in designated districts in summer 2026 By Representative Fiola of Fall River, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Carole A.

What This Bill Does

An Act authorizing municipalities to opt-in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor licenses and to allow for public consumption in designated districts in summer 2026 By Representative Fiola of Fall River, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Carole A.
Fiola for legislation to authorize municipalities to opt-in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor licenses and to allow for public consumption in designated districts from June 1 to August 31, 2026.
Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-06-03 House
Accompanied a new draft, see H5471
2026-05-29 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 05/29/2026 from 01:00 PM-02:00 PM in Written Testimony Only
2026-05-28 Senate
Senate concurred
2026-05-26 House
Reported, referred to the committee on Joint Rules, reported, rules suspended, question divided (on motion of Fiola), and referred (on motion of Fiola) to the committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies
2026-05-11 House
Referred to the committee on House Rules

Official Summary Text

An Act authorizing municipalities to opt-in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor licenses and to allow for public consumption in designated districts in summer 2026
By Representative Fiola of Fall River, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Carole A. Fiola for legislation to authorize municipalities to opt-in to a temporary pilot to extend the hours of liquor licenses and to allow for public consumption in designated districts from June 1 to August 31, 2026. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Bill H.5465

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any provision of this section or any other general or special law to the contrary, the local licensing authority in a city or town which votes to authorize the granting of licenses for the sale of an alcoholic beverage may, on a temporary basis not to begin prior to June 1, 2026, allow an establishment licensed to sell alcoholic beverages, wine or malt beverages pursuant to Section 12 of Chapter 138 of the General Laws to sell alcoholic beverages, wine or malt beverages for off-premises consumption in social consumption districts established pursuant to Section 3 of this Act.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any provision of this section or any other general or special law to the contrary, an establishment licensed to sell alcoholic beverages pursuant to Section 12 of Chapter 138 may, subject to approval of the local licensing authority, sell alcoholic beverages or wine or malt beverages on-premises for one additional hour beyond the time set forth in the establishment’s license, but not to exceed 3:00 a.m. for the period of June 1, 2026 until August 31, 2026 subject to any applicable local rules or regulations and any conditions placed upon their license.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any provision of this section or any other general or special law to the contrary, a city or town may elect to designate one or more areas in that city or town in which alcoholic beverages are permitted to be consumed in public spaces, subject to such restrictions as the city or town may deem appropriate and only for the period of June 1, 2026 until August 31, 2026.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage and shall expire on August 31, 2026.

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