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"Nearly three decades ago, then Governor Michael Dukakis signed a ban prohibiting happy hour in the state of Massachusetts. Since 1984, it has been illegal for bars and restaurants from Boston to Springfield to offer two-for-one beers, half-priced cocktails from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., or incentives of any kind to get you to drink before dinnertime. Now that may change. The state&amp;#039;s Senate is mulling over an amendment which would grant restaurants and bars the right to offer free beverages and drink specials.   More From Delish: America&amp;#039;s Oldest Restaurants, Bars, and Taverns According to the New York Times, the consideration stems from legislation that allows casinos to operate in the state of Massachusetts. As reported, Republican Senator Robert L. Hedlund, a proponent of the ban&amp;#039;s repeal, says, &amp;quot;the amendment was to, put bars and restaurants on equal footing with the casinos.&amp;quot; Currently, Hedlund isn&amp;#039;t optimistic about the amendment passing. But he requested that the committee allow the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission ample time to review the regulations before a decision is reached. More From Delish: The Best Bars in the World Although Massachusetts is one of the few states that does not allow its watering holes the right to host happy hours, Dukakis originally created the ban with the best intentions: to cut down on drunk driving. When asked what he thought of the possibility of the amendment being passed, the former governor said, &amp;quot;unquestionably, people will lose their lives if this happens.&amp;quot; More From Delish: 10 Bar Food Recipes to Make at Home Others argue making happy hours illegal does not decrease drunk driving accidents; tougher laws do. Even Mother&amp;#039;s Against Drunk Driving president, Jan Withers, told the New York Times that while her group worries about anything that &amp;quot;encourages excessive amounts of alcohol,&amp;quot; it would not lobby against the amendment. So what do you think? Should the state of Massachusetts lift the happy hour ban? "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.delish.com/food/news/a38754/massachusetts-ban-on-happy-hours-debate/>