Health

BOSTON (AP) — A handful of Massachusetts lawmakers are hoping to persuade their colleagues to support a proposal that may make the state the primary to enact a ban geared toward curbing the usage of tobacco products over time.

Other locations have considered similar “generational tobacco bans,” which might phase out the usage of tobacco products based not only on an individual's age but in addition the 12 months of birth.

A law signed in Massachusetts in 2018 raised the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products – including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes – to 21. Massachusetts has also banned the sale of all flavored tobacco products to cut back young people's interest in nicotine.

The recent proposal, which lawmakers plan to file next 12 months, would expand efforts to curb smoking by phasing out all sales of nicotine and tobacco products. If the bill passes, young individuals who will not be sufficiently old to legally purchase nicotine and tobacco would never find a way to legally purchase them in Massachusetts, eliminating the creation of latest users.

It wouldn’t apply to marijuana and the cutoff date could be adjusted upon passage to be sure that it doesn’t affect all individuals who’re 21 years of age or older at the moment.

First city to introduce a generational smoking ban

Brookline, a city of about 63,000 people near Boston, became the primary municipality within the country to enact such a ban in 2020. Instead of raising the age for purchasing cigarettes, the statute prohibits the sale of tobacco to individuals born on or after January 1, 2000. The regulation took effect in 2021.

This would mean that in some unspecified time in the future nobody could be allowed to purchase tobacco products in the town. The measure was challenged, however the state's highest court agreed earlier this 12 months and upheld the ban.

Other cities and towns in Massachusetts have already approved similar tobacco bans, including Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Winchester.

Unclear support levels

Democratic Sen. Jason Lewis, one among the sponsors of the statewide proposal, said the bill would “save countless lives and create a healthier world for the next generation.”

“We all know the devastating health effects of nicotine and tobacco products, particularly on our youth,” he said.

Nicotine and tobacco products are addictive and might increase the danger of lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and other illnesses.

Almost 9 out of 10 adults According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students who smoke cigarettes day by day first tried smoking at age 18. In 2024, about two in five students who had ever used a tobacco product were currently using it.

Peter Brennan, executive director of the New England Convenience Store and Energy Marketers Association, said the proposal would undercut small mom-and-pop stores that depend on cigarettes for a good portion of their sales.

Additionally, stores near neighboring states that allow the sale of cigarettes to all adults could be at a competitive drawback.

“That’s a terrible idea,” he said. “You’re basically just taking away adults’ right to buy a legal, age-restricted product.”

It is probably going unconstitutional to deprive some adults of certain rights and never others, he said, adding that other prohibition efforts haven’t worked, equivalent to previous bans on alcohol, marijuana and gambling.

It's unclear how much support the proposal has within the Legislature.

Massachusetts has taken other steps to curb smoking in recent many years, including increasing cigarette taxes. These taxes would likely be reduced and eventually eliminated through a phased nationwide smoking ban.

A discount in cigarette tax revenue could be greater than offset by lower health care costs and other savings, Lewis said.

According to the state Department of Health, 10.4% of adults in Massachusetts reported smoking cigarettes in 2022.

Other places are weighing similar bans

Some California lawmakers have pushed to ban all tobacco sales and filed a bill last 12 months that may make it illegal to sell cigarettes and other products to people born after Jan. 1, 2007.

In 2022, New Zealand became the primary country to pass a law that may impose a lifetime ban on young people from buying cigarettes by mandating that tobacco should never be sold to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The law was later struck down.

In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak proposed raising the legal age to purchase cigarettes in England by one 12 months annually until it’s eventually illegal for your complete population. The proposal failed to realize approval earlier this 12 months.

policy

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — At least five Democratic congressmen from Connecticut were victims of bomb threats to their homes on Thursday, the lawmakers or their offices said.

Senator Chris Murphy and Representatives Jim Himes, Joe Courtney, John Larson and Jahana Hayes all reported being the topic of such threats. Responding officers said they found no evidence of explosives on the deputies' property.

There was no immediate information on whether Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the state's fifth Democratic House member and Connecticut's other Democratic senator, had received threats.

The bomb threats against Democrats got here a day after quite a few President-elect Donald Trump's most distinguished Cabinet members reported receiving such threats, in addition to “swatting attacks” during which the perpetrators initiated an emergency law enforcement response against a victim Pretense of false facts.

Murphy's office said his Hartford home was the goal of a bomb threat “that appeared to be part of a coordinated effort involving multiple members of Congress and public figures.” Hartford police and the U.S. Capitol Police noted. that there is no such thing as a danger.

Hayes said Wolcott police told her Thursday morning that she had “received a threatening email stating that a pipe bomb had been dropped in the mailbox of my home.” State Police, U.S. Capitol Police and the House Sergeant-at-Arms were notified, Wolcott and State Police responded, “and no bombs or explosives were discovered.”

Courtney's Vernon home received a bomb threat while his wife and youngsters were there, his office said.

Himes said he learned of the threat to his home during a Thanksgiving celebration together with his family. The US Capitol Police and the Greenwich and Stamford police departments responded.

Hines expressed his family's “greatest thanks to our local law enforcement officers for their immediate action to ensure our safety.” Echoing other threatened lawmakers, he added: “There is no place for political violence in this country, and I hope we all get through the holidays with peace and civility.”

Larson also said Thursday that East Hartford police responded to a bomb threat against his home.

The FBI declined to supply details concerning the latest episodes but said it was conducting the investigation in collaboration with other agencies.

We are working with our state and native partners on these matters. No further details of the investigation are being provided presently.”

The threats come on the heels of an election season marked by violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing him within the ear and killing considered one of his supporters. The Secret Service later foiled one other assassination attempt at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun sticking through a fence while Trump was golfing.

Among those receiving threats Wednesday were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick to be the following ambassador to the United Nations; Matt Gaetz, Trump's first nominee for attorney general; Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who Trump picked to steer the Labor Department, and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who was picked to steer the Environmental Protection Agency.

What do the election results mean for Republicans' ability to advance their tax agenda?

We know there will probably be a Republican president and it seems that the Republican Party could have the bulk each chambers of Congress. That means Republicans will give you the option to pass a tax bill along party lines, much like how Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act using budget reconciliation.

This would allow Republicans to pass major policies with an easy majority. The Republican majority is narrow, so it would be interesting to see how leaders unite their constituencies.

Republicans have traditionally supported lower tax rates for businesses and individuals and tax incentives to stimulate economic activity.

What's next for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act?

The law currently expires at the top of 2025, but Trump and Republicans support renewing a lot of its provisions.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in May 2024 that extending the law would cost the federal government $4.6 trillionand there’s a split inside the party, with one bloc of Republican congressmen calling for a full extension and one other calling for a balance between tax policy and annual federal deficits.

Republicans will likely fight to keep up key components including the upper standard deduction, lower corporate tax rates, individual tax rate cuts and an increased estate tax exemption.

There is even talk of further reducing the company tax rate, possibly to fifteen% for domestic production, which can be a big step.

What other tax measures are Republicans considering?

Trump mentioned quite a lot of tax relief ideas in the course of the campaign, including exempting suggestions, Social Security advantages and time beyond regulation pay from income taxes and creating an itemized deduction for automobile loan interest.

However, Republicans don’t completely agree on tax policy. Some deficit advocates are concerned about lost revenue, so there could possibly be internal resistance on all of those issues. The real query is whether or not there will probably be enough resistance inside the party to alter or block certain proposals.

But I expect that many parts of the law will probably be renewed and we might even see some additions. For example, there was strong pressure to extend the cap on state and native tax deductions, also generally known as SALT, which has bipartisan support in states with higher state income taxes akin to New York, California and Illinois. It will probably be interesting to see if this catches on. There is great pressure from each Republicans and Democrats to realize relief on this area.

Where will they find revenue?

Good query. Observers suggest Republicans will likely consider removing green energy subsidies from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. These could possibly be eliminated to offset the prices of their recent tax proposals.

Another area to observe is tariffs. There is talk of accelerating tariffs on Chinese goods – potentially as much as 60% – and even imposing a universal tariff on all US imports at a rate of 20%. It will probably be interesting to see how this plays out. Will or not it’s more targeted? For example, will there proceed to be tariffs on select imports, akin to automobile imports from China, to guard the U.S. electric vehicle market?

What will you see between now and tax day?

One factor will probably be Trump's cabinet appointments. Whoever he nominates for finance minister, for instance, could have plenty of influence. You may help shape what the tax bill looks like. Another key factor will probably be who finally ends up on Congress' tax committees. The composition of key committees will impact policy direction and specific details.

What do you’re thinking that will occur with tariffs?

Tariffs are unpredictable: they could possibly be applied more broadly or more selectively. It could possibly be much like how Trump and his first administration imposed tariffs on steel, aluminum and solar panels. Interestingly, most of the tariffs were retained by the Biden administration.

Blanket tariffs could slow the economy, so there’s all the time a risk. Tariffs affect inflation because they affect the price of imported goods, which might likely reduce consumer purchasing power. Domestic pressure will play a job, as higher tariffs could drive up prices for a lot of imported goods, including essential products like medicines.

Do you will have any advice for people struggling to maintain up with the most recent tax news?

Observers often take every policy proposal within the campaign literally—from tip exemptions, Social Security advantages, time beyond regulation pay, etc.—as if all of those proposals were adopted exactly as they were presented. But the main points matter, and policies are rarely implemented without adjustments. Therefore, it’s advisable to read beyond the headlines.

It seems like a joke: poppy seeds laced with opioids.

In fact, it was a story arc Sitcom Seinfeld. But for some it was a tragedy.

People have died after drinking tea created from unwashed poppy seeds.

And after eating lemon poppy seed bread or an every little thing bagel, moms were reportedly separated from their newborns since the women failed drug tests.

Poppy seeds come from the plant produces opium and from which narcotics comparable to morphine and codeine are obtained. During harvest and processing, the seeds may turn into coated with the opium liquid.

Members of the House of Representatives and Senate have Legislative proposals “To prohibit the distribution and sale of contaminated poppy seeds in order to prevent harm, addiction and further deaths caused by poppy seeds contaminated with morphine.” The bill was one in all several on the agenda September 10 Hearing within the House of Representatives.

The day before the hearing The Marshall Project And Discover reported on a girl who ate a salad with poppy seed dressing before giving birth, tested positive for opiates within the hospital, was reported to child protective services, and saw her baby taken into protective custody. It was nearly two weeks before she was allowed to bring her baby home, the story goes.

“It's not an urban legend: Consuming poppy seeds can cause guests to test positive for codeine on a urinalysis,” the Defense Department said warned the military personnel in 2023.

The US Anti-Doping Agency issued one a protracted time ago similar warning to athletes.

The Center for Science within the Public Interest, a watchdog group, applied to the FDA in 2021 to limit the opiate content of poppy seeds. In May, after greater than three years of no response, it got here sued the agency Force motion.

“So far, the FDA has been negligent in protecting consumers,” said Steve Hacala, whose son died after consuming poppy seed tea and who has partnered with CSPI.

The lawsuit was placed on hold in July after the FDA said it might reply to the group's petition by the tip of February 2025.

The FDA didn’t reply to questions on this text. The agency generally doesn’t comment on litigation, said spokeswoman Courtney Rhodes.

A Study 2021 The study, co-authored by CSPI staff, found greater than 100 reports to poison control centers between 2000 and 2018 that resulted from intentional misuse or misuse of poppy seeds, said CSPI scientist Eva Greenthal, one in all the study's authors.

Only rarely will baked goods or other foods containing washed poppy seeds trigger positive drug tests, said doctors who’ve studied the issue.

It is “extremely doubtful” that the “relatively insignificant” amount of morphine in a bagel or similar would cause harm to anyone, said Irving Haber, a health care provider who has done so written about poppiesmakes a speciality of pain medicine and has signed the CSPI petition to the FDA.

On the opposite hand, tea created from large quantities of unwashed poppy seeds could lead on to addiction and overdose, doctors said. The risk increases if the person drinking the brew also uses other opioids, comparable to prescription painkillers.

Benjamin Lai, a health care provider who runs an opioid program on the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said he treated a patient who developed a long-term opioid addiction from consuming poppy seed tea. The patient, a person in his 30s, found it in a health food store and felt it might help him chill out and get well from understanding on the gym. After just a few months, he tried to quit and commenced experiencing withdrawal symptoms, Lai said.

Another patient, an elderly woman, developed withdrawal symptoms under similar circumstances but responded well to treatment, Lai said.

Some web sites tout poppy seed tea as having health advantages. And some sellers “may use specific terms such as 'raw,' 'unprocessed,' or 'unwashed' to signal that their products contain higher concentrations of opiates than properly processed seeds,” the CSPI lawsuit says.

Steve Hacala's son, Stephen Hacala, a music teacher, suffered from anxiety and insomnia, for which poppy seed tea is touted as a natural treatment, the lawsuit says. In 2016, at age 24, he ordered a bag of poppy seeds online, rinsed it with water and drank the conditioner. He died of morphine poisoning.

The only source of morphine present in Stephen's home where he died was commercially available poppy seeds, an Arkansas State Crime Lab forensic pathologist said in a letter to the daddy. The coroner wrote that Poppy was “very likely” answerable for Stephen’s death.

Steve Hacala estimated that the quantity of poppy seeds present in a 1-liter plastic water bottle at his son's home could have produced greater than 10 times a fatal dose.

Steve Hacala and his wife Betty have funded CSPI's efforts to bring attention to the issue. (KFF Health News Editor David Rousseau is on the CSPI Board.)

The lawsuit also cited moms who, like those in The Marshall Project and Reveal's investigation, violated rules protecting newborns. For example, although Jamie Silakowski didn’t use opioids during her pregnancy, she was initially prevented from leaving the hospital along with her baby, the lawsuit says.

Child protective services employees visited her home unannounced, interviewed her other children and questioned teachers at her school, she said in an interview.

During her maternity leave, she needed to undergo a drug test, Silakowski said. “Peeing in front of someone like I was a criminal – that was just shameful.”

Even members of the family questioned her and there was nothing she could do to clear the doubts, she said. “Relationships have been torn apart,” she said.

Tim Hortons' parent company, Restaurant Brands International, which also owns Burger King and Popeyes, didn’t reply to questions from KFF Health News.

In July, The Washington Post reported that Trader Joe's was stocking every little thing but bagel seasoning banned and confiscated in South Korea since it comprises poppy seeds. Trader Joe's didn’t reply to inquiries about this text. The spice is obtainable on the market on the corporate's website.

The USA Drug Enforcement Administration says unwashed poppy seeds will be fatal when used alone or together with other medications. While poppy seeds are exempt from drug control under the Controlled Substances Act, opium contamination within the seeds isn’t, the agency said. The Justice Department has taken criminal motion over the sale of unwashed poppy seeds.

Meanwhile, laws to manage poppy contamination has not gained much traction.

The Senate bill introduced by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has two co-sponsors.

The House bill, introduced by Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), has none. Although it was on the agenda, it was not raised on the recent hearing.

©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

State lawmakers have rejected a bill introduced by a Santa Clara County senator that may have given some inmates serving life sentences without the potential for parole for murder a likelihood at release.

Senator Dave Cortese, a Democrat from San Jose, authored SB 94 in 2022 in hopes of allowing inmates convicted of murder committed before June 5, 1990, and who’ve already served no less than 25 years of their sentence, to be eligible for parole.

“After two years of negotiations and over a dozen amendments considered, I am incredibly disappointed that SB 94 was not given the opportunity to be heard and the amendments were not brought to a vote by the full House,” Cortese said in an announcement. “The bill was not brought to court like those it would have helped.”

The bill faced opposition from victims' rights and law enforcement groups in addition to Republican lawmakers.

“Far too often here in Sacramento we hear about the rights of criminals while the rights of victims are trampled upon,” said Rep. Juan Alanis, a Modesto Republican and former sheriff's sergeant, in an announcement. “I am proud that we were able to help prevent the wounds of victims and their families from being reopened for such gruesome crimes as murder and rape by releasing criminals who were rightly sentenced to life in prison.”

The bill was supported by the Oakland-based Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, which called it “a modest reform that allows judges to reconsider rulings that are at least 25 years old.”

Had the law been passed and enacted, the convicted murderers would have been in a position to ask a judge to scale back their sentence to 25 years or life, with consideration for parole. The law wouldn’t have applied to people convicted of premeditated murder of a police officer on duty or certain sex offenses at the side of manslaughter.

This quickly caused a stir amongst victims' rights activists like Vanetta Perdue. The woman from North Carolina almost lost her life in 1982 when her violent husband, who was separated from her mother, broke into their house near Monterey, doused Perdue's mother with gasoline and set her on fire. She died and left her children to die together with her within the flames. A 12 months ago, she spoke out against the law on the State Capitol in Sacramento, saying: “Life without parole is exactly what it should be.”

During the legislative session that ended on Saturday, the bill didn’t receive the vital variety of votes and was placed on the “inactive” file.

Cortese was unavailable for comment Monday. But in his statement late last week, he said he remained concerned about inconsistencies in the prevailing law, which supplies some notorious inmates the chance to use for parole while others who were minorly involved in a deadly crime don't get the possibility. SB 94 followed a series of criminal justice reform measures pushed by the state's Democrats in recent times.

“We must continue the conversation and re-engage with the racist, inconsistent and harmful sentencing that has disproportionately impacted Californians for over twenty years and will continue to wreak havoc until it is fixed,” Cortese said in an announcement.

But Sen. Kelly Seyarto, a Republican from Murrieta and vice chair of the Senate Public Safety Committee, said the bill “would have been devastating to public safety and victims' rights,” and lots of of Cortese's fellow Democrats, who’ve overwhelming majorities within the House, agreed. “We know that when voters come together and demand to be heard, even the overwhelming majority must take it seriously and listen to the will of the people.”

Originally published: September 2, 2024 at 3:40 p.m.

SACRAMENTO – California lawmakers will meet in a special session after the conclusion of their legislative 12 months on Saturday to debate measures proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom to cut back spikes in gasoline prices on the pump.

Newsom called the Legislature into special session on Saturday after Assembly Democrats rebuffed his efforts to pass the energy package he unveiled this week. California must act now to “prevent price spikes next year and beyond,” he said.

“It should be natural for gas refineries to plan ahead and replenish their inventories when they are down for maintenance to avoid price spikes. But these price spikes are actually profit spikes for the big oil companies, and they are using the same old scaremongering tactics to maintain the status quo,” he said in a press release.

According to AAA, Californians pay the very best prices within the nation on the pump: a median of $4.64 per gallon for normal unleaded gasoline, in comparison with the national average of $3.33. Electricity bills within the state have also nearly doubled up to now decade and are expected to outpace inflation by 2027 as California rushes to transition away from fossil fuels.

The proposals and the potential for a special session have divided the Democrats, who’ve an awesome majority in Parliament.

House Speaker Robert Rivas said his members wanted the special session to permit more time to contemplate the proposals and welcomed Newsom's decision to call a special session. But members of the Senate, including Republicans, rejected the thought of ​​returning to Sacramento for more work after the legislative deadline on Saturday.

State Senate President pro tempore Mike McGuire said in a press release responding to Newsom that the Senate “will not convene a special session this fall, but we look forward to continuing discussions with the Governor and Speaker on this critical issue in the coming days and weeks.” Instead, he wants lawmakers to pass the package Newsom supported on Saturday.

It's not immediately clear when the special session will begin or how long it can last. With the Senate refusing to convene, it's also not clear how the Legislature would proceed. Veteran lobbyist Chris Micheli said there is no such thing as a mechanism to force either chamber to call a special session, however the governor could still sue the Senate.

It's not the primary time Newsom has tried to pressure the Legislature to pass oil and gas regulations. The Democrat called a special session in 2022 to pass a tax on oil corporations' profits. At the time, he said he wanted a penalty, not a tax. The law he signed months later gave state regulators the ability to punish oil corporations in the event that they made an excessive amount of money.
At the centre of the political battle is a draft law that will require oil refineries to keep up a minimum stock of fuel with the intention to avoid spikes in fuel prices.

The price of gasoline rises when corporations run out of supplies, supporters say, and the measure could save motorists tens of millions of dollars. The Western States Petroleum Association, then again, says the bill would force refineries to carry back supplies and hurt consumers.

“When deliveries are held back, costs increase,” said WSPA spokesman Kevin Slagle.

According to the California Energy Commission, there have been 63 days from June to October last 12 months when California refineries had lower than 15 days of gas inventory, in comparison with 49 days in the course of the same period in 2022 and just 35 days in 2021.

Lawmakers also had reservations a few proposal to offer households a one-time refund on their electric bills and a proposal to streamline renewable energy projects. They had already sent Newsom a bill earlier this week to revive power to households that were previously unable to pay their electric bills.

Republican Senator Kelly Seyarto called Newsom's proposals “ridiculous” and supported McGuire's decision to not call the special session.

The special session is vital, said Assembly Democratic Caucus Chairman Rick Chavez Zbur, who sits on the Energy and Utilities Committee. The proposal to handle energy affordability can be brought up again next session, he said.

The focus of the special session is on reducing gasoline price spikes on the pump.

“The entire caucus is committed to working with the governor to make sure we lower gas prices and lower energy costs in the state,” Zbur said. “This is something we need to do urgently, but we also need to do it right.”

Austin is a corps member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on issues that aren't as often covered. Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna

New England Revolution

For fans of the Revolution, who’ve been waiting hopefully for years for the possible construction of their very own football stadium within the Boston area, the wait appears to be removed from over.

As a part of a 23-hour marathon to conclude the official session of the Massachusetts Legislature – which lasted until Thursday, 9:57 a.m.nearly 10 hours after the official deadline of midnight on July 31 – state lawmakers were unable to achieve agreement on a wide range of issues, including passage of a sweeping economic development bill.

Included in the large bill was a special section that might have removed the special “Designated Port Area” from a 43-acre parcel of land at 173 Alford St. in Everett, the positioning of a defunct power plant (currently owned by Wynn Resorts). If the DPA had been removed, it will have cleared the best way for the Kraft Group soccer team to maneuver forward with the possible construction of a 25,000-seat stadium along the waterfront.

Although the bill was included in a Senate version of the bill (which passed in July), the House of Representatives balked at it, and the next Mediation Committee did not reconcile the 2 versions before the tip of the formal session.

The Economic Development Act was removed from the one law that remained dead within the water by legislators who disagreed about Range of topics in a lengthy final effort of the session.

But with the rejection of the Economic Development Act, the revolution's latest stadium project is on shaky ground.

Technically, the stadium language might be resubmitted as a standalone bill (which it originally was initially of the 12 months). But after the formal meeting has been concluded, all that is required is the opposition of 1 only legislator to dam the whole law (in accordance with the principles of the informal meeting).

Since there was apparently opposition to the planned stadium from Boston – with representatives from TD Garden and Fenway Park in opposition to a different potential local concert venue – the road to adoption via an off-the-cuff meeting is prone to be rocky.

Nevertheless, the creator of the unique bill for Everett Stadium in 2024 just isn’t giving up.

State Senator Sal DiDomenico (whose district includes Everett) made a temporary comment after the official meeting concluded on Thursday.

“I am committed to continuing to try to find a way to move forward on this issue, and over the next few days we will be reviewing that process and that path,” Senator DiDomenico said. in accordance with Chris Lisinski of the State House News Service“I'm not giving up. I'm committed and believe that this is the right thing for my community and my region.”

politics

The Massachusetts Senate passed an amendment Thursday that might bring joyful hour to Massachusetts residents for the primary time in 4 many years.

State Senator Julian Cyr proposed the change in a broader Economic Development Act price $2.8 billionAn analogous amendment passed in 2022, and Cyr renewed his efforts to legalize the practice of discounted beverage sales with a bill last yr.

“It is really critical that we consider the significant economic boost for the nearly 19,000 restaurants and cafes in this Commonwealth that provide food, employment and a sense of community across the state,” Cyr told lawmakers on Thursday.

The change allows establishments to sell alcohol at a reduced price provided prices don’t change through the discount period, the discount is announced at the very least three days before the period and takes place before 10 p.m.

Massachusetts forbidden Happy Hour in 1984 to crack down on drunk driving. Since then, states like Kansas and Illinois have repealed similar bans and haven’t seen a rise in drunk driving-related cases, Cyr said.

“The health data shows that we are moving in the right direction. This could be an impetus to bring people back to our downtown areas and main streets,” Cyr said.

The amendment would allow cities and towns to set their very own joyful hour regulations that might apply only to certain parts of town. Cyr, who represents municipalities on the Cape and Islands, said some dry cities would abstain, while coastal communities should want to benefit from their seasonal economy.

Lawmakers discussed the bill and its amendments late into the night, although reported It was likely that it might pass. The bill would then land on the desk of Governor Maura Healey.

Cyr, nonetheless, said joyful hour wouldn’t only boost the economy. He said Massachusetts could use some “fun.” Lawmakers are already working to issue a whole lot of liquor licenses to neighborhoods like Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, East Boston, Roslindale, West Roxbury and Hyde Park, which have significantly fewer businesses with liquor licenses than neighborhoods like Back Bay or Seaport.

“I've heard that it's difficult for creatives and entrepreneurs to have fun here,” Cyr said. “There are a lot of rules, requirements and regulations. The entry fees are very high and I think we still need to work a bit on our fun factor.”

Local news

The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center within the Seaport could soon have a brand new name.

The members of the House of Representatives approved the renaming of the convention center after former Mayor Thomas Menino within the Economic Development Act They published the ReportsThis step comes shortly before the tenth anniversary of his death.

The bill calls for the convention center to be named the Thomas Michael Menino Convention and Exhibition Center.

Representative Aaron Michlewitz told the station that Menino had Vision for the redevelopment of the seaport.

“He had an unwavering desire to get it done somehow, and I mean, it's not perfect. There are definitely still some challenges related to growth. But from where it is now to where it was is remarkable and a testament to his vision,” Michlewitz told the newspaper.

Angela Menino said it was “very emotional” that her husband was being remembered.

“This is an incredible honor and our family couldn't be more grateful to the leadership for thinking of him and recognizing his love for this city by naming the convention center…now I know he will always be remembered. Thank you, thank you,” she said, based on the newspaper.

Boy died in October 2014 after a battle with cancer.

Accordingly The House of Representatives' bill will probably be put to a vote on Thursday.