As early data pour in on summer liquor-law experiment, legislative action could still be a long way off

Pour one out for Massachusetts’ summer of looser liquor laws. 

The World Cup visitors have long since gone home, and the state law that temporarily permitted later last calls and social drinking districts expired about two and a half weeks ago. 

Anecdotally, the verdict was in pretty soon after the first late-night beers were poured — Boston got fun, the headlines (and the Scots) proclaimed.

In all, preliminary city of Boston figures show 211 bars and restaurants extended their operations by an hour under the law, with 140 going to 3 a.m. The latest of the late include World Cup hotspots like the Dubliner, a smattering of hotel bars, and spots from various corners of the city: Bleacher Bar inside Fenway Park, Grace by Nia in the Seaport, The Jeanie Johnston in Jamaica Plain, Croke Park in Southie, and Macumba Latina in Mattapan. Bar spending citywide was up 27% compared to the same June period last year. 

Spending spiked higher around the two "social districts" featuring New Orleans-style outdoor drinking — up 166% around Union and Marshall streets by City Hall, and almost 86% in the Temple Place/Park Street area downtown. 

The city's early numbers focus on the World Cup dates in June, but the Downtown Boston Alliance says it saw positive signs in July, too, like a revenue bump for restaurants and a year-to-year increase in domestic foot traffic. 

While the drinks were still flowing, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a majority of city councilors and Gov. Maura Healey all threw support, one way or another, behind the idea of keeping later closing times long-term. As for the Legislature that would need to sign off? The third floor of the State House moves at its own pace. 

“I think we’re going to digest what’s happened,” Rep. Carole Fiola, the House chair of the Economic Development Committee and original sponsor of the later last-call bill, said in July, a month after the law creating the pilot program was signed. 

The law tasks Healey’s economic development secretariat with reporting on social drinking districts, extended hours and their effects on revenue and public safety during the trial run. 

That report is due by the end of December, which would put it before lawmakers as they’re preparing bills for the new session that starts in January.

In the meantime, senators who heralded a “Fun Agenda” designed to legislatively keep the World Cup party going signaled they’re not yet ready to force the last-call issue. One item on the fun agenda — an economic development bill amendment giving a permanent green light to 3 a.m. last call — was withdrawn with no debate. 

Senators did, though, agree to another amendment that would let cities and towns opt in to creating social drinking districts. That measure’s fate rests on House-Senate negotiations.

Beacon Hill’s full verdict on whether the World Cup-inspired liquor law changes should return in some form probably won’t arrive until 2027. What clues you might find in the Senate’s mixed results might depend on if you’re a glass half-full or half-empty type of person. 

How full is your glass when it comes to the liquor law changes Beacon Hill’s been weighing? Sidle up to my inbox and tell me what’s on your mind: [email protected].

9:30 | Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board meets. The agenda includes reports from the executive director and chief investment officer | Email [email protected] for access | More Info

10:00 | Gov. Healey makes reelection campaign main street visits in Great Barrington with Rep. Leigh Davis and others, followed by a meet-and-greet at noon | Locations not announced. Media interested in attending need to contact [email protected]

11:00 | Lt. Gov. Driscoll gives remarks at Rep. Christopher Worrell's annual Commonwealth Caribbean Breakfast. Labor Secretary Jones attends | Great Hall

1:00 | Congressman Neal kicks off a "Landmark Laws, Local Investments" with a stop in West Springfield to highlight infrastructure projects that benefitted from federal funding, followed by a 2:30 p.m. press conference at the site of the new Agawam High School | West Springfield Town Hall, 26 Central St., West Springfield

5:00 | Lt. Gov. Driscoll attends Bova Bakery's 100-year anniversary celebration. Boston Mator Wu joins at 6:00 p.m. | 134 Salem Street, Boston

7:00 | Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks at a meeting of the Lawrence City Council | 200 Common St. #106, Lawrence

7:10 | Treasurer Deb Goldberg presents a more than $176,000 check from the Unclaimed Property Division to The Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber during the second and final day of the 36-hour Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon. The telethon will be broadcast on WEEI 93.7 FM and NESN | Fenway Park, 4 Jersey St., Boston

7:45 | Auditor DiZoglio speaks at a meeting of the Salisbury Beach Citizens for Change | Blue Ocean Music Hall, 4 Ocean Front N, Salisbury

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GUARDIAN SHORTAGE: A state report finds Massachusetts has a shortage of guardians who are empowered to make medical decisions for incapacitated patients, which can delay hospital discharges and keep beds from becoming available. The report lands at a time of heightened attention on health care costs, but with the Legislature not meeting in regular formal sessions. | State House News Service (gift link)

UNDER THE STETHOSCOPE: The Healey administration plans a series of virtual listening sessions to hear input from the public on reducing costs for health care and health insurance. | Eagle-Tribune

BACK TO THE POLLS: Another poll, this one from Suffolk University and the Boston Globe, gives U.S. Sen. Ed Markey a double-digit lead over Congressman Seth Moulton. Nearly half of the likely primary voters surveyed said Markey's age makes no difference in their choice. | Boston Globe

AUCHINCLOSS CHECKS IN: Congressman Jake Auchincloss, facing a primary challenge from Sherborn Democrat Jason Poulos, weighs in on tariffs, pharmacy benefit managers, Israel, the Iran war and more. | Newton Beacon

PROBABLE CAUSE: Brockton Mayor Moises Rodrigues could face an assault and battery charge for allegedly grabbing a high school student earlier this year, after a clerk magistrate found probable cause exists. | GBH News

ICY RELATIONSHIP: ICE Boston is taking swings on social media at Mayor Michelle Wu and highlighting its recent arrests after Wu said she would file public record requests to identify property owners interested in leasing parking spaces to the immigration enforcement agency. | Boston Herald

9th BRISTOL: A pair of Republicans running for the House seat Rep. Chris Markey is giving up to run for Bristol DA both want to cut costs and back the legislative audit. Chester Tam also says he wants to advocate for personal medical freedom, and Henry Bousquet opposes the state's lottery admission policy for vocational schools. | New Bedford Light

PLANNING FOR COURT: A former planning official in Tisbury is suing the town, alleging she was retaliated against and pushed out of her job for raising concerns around the permitting process at a controversial nine-bedroom property. | Vineyard Gazette

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