The Tragic Reason Happy Hours are Banned in Massachusetts

Here in Maine, happy hours are commonplace in many bars and restaurants, but in Massachusetts, there hasn't been a happy hour allowed since 1984.

Happy hours at bars and restaurants are typically times when the price of drinks is lowered and despite the name, it doesn't have to be only for an hour. That can lead to people drinking more than they normally would because of the price drop. The cheaper the drinks, the more you can buy. But that has consequences.

Tragic Drunk Driving Accident

According to an article in Northeastern Universities Huntington News published on September 15, 2024, the ban on happy hours in Massachusetts was a direct result of a drunk driving accident.

A terrible car accident killed 20-year-old Katheleen Barry who was run over by her friend in Braintree after drinking way too much having one free alcohol in a contest at a bar.

Barry's death caused Massachusetts to change its alcohol laws by making them stricter to prevent an accident like this from happening again. One of the changes was the state declaring that there would be no more happy hours with discounted drinks.

40 Years Later a Bill is Created

A bill was drafted and sent to the Massachusetts Legislature in 2024 to bring back happy hours after a four-decade absence. The bill did not pass and happy hours remain banned in Massachusetts.

There are arguments that the responsibility should land on the restaurant and bar owners to make sure people are cut off when they appear to have had too much, but the bill was defeated regardless.

8 States Where Happy Hours Are Illegal

Eight states in the U.S. have made happy hours illegal, and three of them are in New England. Here's the list.

• Alaska
• Indiana
• Massachusetts
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Rhode Island
• Utah
• Vermont

The New England states that do allow happy hours, Maine, New Hampshire, and Connecticut all have restrictions on drink price reductions and all-you-can-drink specials.