Massachusetts legislation · 194th General Court
Massachusetts H5478: 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
Status: Signed into law, June 8, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, June 4, 2026:
SECTION 1. For purposes of this act, “licensed establishment” shall mean an establishment holding a license for the sale of alcoholic beverages, whether all alcohol or wines and malt only, to be drunk on the premises pursuant to section 12 of chapter 138 of the General Laws. SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, and subject to section 5, a local licensing authority in a city or town may, on a temporary basis not to begin prior to June 8, 2026, allow a licensed establishment to sell alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption in districts designated pursuant to section 4. Only licensed establishments located within a district designated pursuant to said section 4 may sell alcoholic beverages to be consumed within the district. SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, and subject to section 5, a licensed establishment may, subject to approval of the local licensing authority, sell alcoholic beverages on-premises for 1 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 8, 2026 until July 31, 2026, subject to any applicable local rules or regulations and any conditions placed upon its license. SECTION 4. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, and subject to section 5, a …
Sponsors
- Thomas Walsh (D, 12th Essex) · primary sponsor
- Christopher Worrell (D)
- Carole Fiola (D)
Latest actions
- : Signed by the Governor, Chapter 96 of the Acts of 2026
- : Enacted and laid before the Governor
- : Enacted
- : Emergency preamble adopted
- : Senate concurred in the further House amendment
- : Rules suspended
- : House concurred in the Senate amendment with a further amendment, see H5482
- : Referred to the committee on Bills in the Third Reading
- : Read third and passed to be engrossed
- : Ordered to a third reading
Votes
- Amended by substitution of bill with the same title, see H5478 (June 4, 2026): 150 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is H5478?
- H5478 is a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature (194th General Court): 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.
- What is the status of H5478?
- Signed into law as of June 8, 2026. Latest action: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 96 of the Acts of 2026 (June 8, 2026).
- Who sponsored H5478?
- Thomas Walsh (D, 12th Essex), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H5478?
- On the Massachusetts Legislature website: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H5478
Source: official Massachusetts record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.