Yes, it should be repealed for any bar or restaurant that is on or near a transit line.

Funny that this appears in the business section. Throwing ethics to the wind, it makes good business sense. That being said, I think we'd see a drastic increase in the already appalling number of alcohol related deaths if this law were to be repealed. Answer to your question is a resounding NO!!

What bill said!

Is the fear that alcohol related deaths increasing the result of data or just speculation? Going to a bar to enjoy happy hour doesn't make me more likely to drive under the influence. I don't drink and drive--end of story. Others do, I realize this, but the question is are they more likely to do so if their pint of beer is $3 instead of $6 or if their glass of wine is $5 instead of $10?

The few annual statistics I've found about the number of fatalities in MA have shown an overall decrease in fatalities over the years, but the decrease didn't coincide with the introduction of the ban. One would wonder if the overall decrease in this has more to do with public awareness and police reinforcement. I don't claim to feel strongly one way or the other, but I have to admit that I remain skeptical that a law like this has a strong impact on whether or not people will actually obey the law.

The short (and hopefully functional url):
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/alcohol/pireweb/images/2240pierfinal.pdf

....just take a look at the patrons that come out of drinking establishments in medford any night of the week...stumbling out the door swaying to the car..and off they go.
I've seen it and have recorded it. I say NO to happy hour. Our police have enough to do, we don't need more drunk drivers on the road. sober driver choose not to stop at crosswalks..drunks just fly-by. Its happening in every corner of medford..Just today I went for coffee in medford square...so did a guy ...only he went to the liquor store on Salem street and got a brown bag breakfast...9:15 am. Then sat near Salem burial grounds..sipping away. so again I say NO

No need for a happy hour. It only encourages people to drink more than they should.

Happy hours encourage people to drink fast while the drinks are cheap. Here in MA we are lucky to have some of the lowest vehicle fatality rates in the country. No reason to take a step back.

People wonder why they call this state a "Nanny State".

Banning happy hour will definitely stop people from drinking and driving, because it's not like they can't already buy drinks at the bar. /sarcasm

Yes we should bring back happy hours.They increase competition and are good for consumers. We've come a long way in public awareness, law enforcement, and in holding bars responsible for not over-serving. If we keep cracking down on bars that over serve and people who break the law, and keep educating the public, I don't think happy hours will cause a significant uptick in reckless behavior.

I think all hours should be happy. Why do you people hate happiness?

I don't think they should bring back happy hour

And I say this because I like having the goverment tell me what I can do, when I can do it and pretty much babysitting me 24/7. Grow up folks. Happy hours will not increase drunk driving. Make the bars responsible for their patrons and get goverment out of our private lives. Way too much oversight now. They feel they need to tell us how to live our lives daily. I'm a grown man. I can make decisions for myself about how much I drink. If your against happy hours then you should be for prohibition. Ban all alcohol because we are to stupid to handle it andthe goverment knows what's best for us (pat on the head)

While I don't believe in government limits on personal use of drugs, Alcohol is indeed a fairly dangerous and addictive drug. There's a case to be made that we are indeed too stupid to handle alcohol. It's pretty often linked to violent crime. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-1/20-31.htm

You kind of have to wonder where one draws the line. If this particular drug is tightly linked with triggering people to infringe the liberty of others, is it irresponsible of a society to allow it to flow even more freely? Personally, I doubt happy hour will actually have an impact on crime or anything like that...I don't think that alcohol consumption could possibly increase that much. I couldn't quickly find any comparable situations.

I just lived in No. VA the last 3 years, there, DC, MD, all had Happy Hour. It was a blast and makes great buisness sense! Responsible bar tenders need to be aware of who they serve, period.

As long as they have backgammon :)
Those were the good ol' days & everyone had fun. Today everything is an issue and/or a problem.
Take the focus off booze consumption. I always looked forward to the apps ( which in those days meant appetizers :) & just going with family & being amongst people taking time out to relax!

H E double hockey sticks, Yeah!! Misguided PC nonsense to get rid of it in first place. Proved nothing and suppressed business options.

I am sick of all the laws in this state. That being said.....now that my kids are almost at drinking age, I'm ok with this law remaining in place for the next ten years.

yes, bring happy hour back. I dont recall being to a happy hour I probably was not old enough to drink yet, but I would love to have cheap drinks and be able to safely take public transportation home at a reasonable hour and a reasonable time. all this nonsense about ppl drink more with cheap drinks is inaccurate, they cant make them fast enough during regular hrs I cant see them pumping them out faster when the prices are cheaper. it's like going to foxwoods, you get free drinks but you wait forever to get a drink. This truly is a nanny state. Always has been for decades musicians use to get banned in Boston. If someone goes to the liquor store 9:15am and then sits on a bench and starts drinking they are alcoholics this person needs this drink ,if not they will go into withdrawl have seizures/and or delirium and could die if not treated. This type of person does not hang out at bars, they dont make the drink strong enough. These ppl have a medical condition and should not be compared to ppl who are responsible. If you see someone stumbling out of a bar, that is the bartenders fault for not shutting them off and I have seen people shut off before.

Besides, people just go to college if they want to binge drink.

I move that if we bring back happy hour, we also bring back those medallions and big-collared shirts that everybody used to wear to Happy Hour...

Bring back Happy Hour...Time to Partaaaayyyy!!!

Drinks on me.

How about a siesta at work each day too?

Hey what the Heck move happy hour th 8 am opening to closing legallize drugs too that way it will keep the population down.

i think having happy hour would be beneficial. I dont know about some of you but most ppl I know drink at home first then go to the bar. Drinks are to pricey so we start at home. sounds like this might be worse, no?

And the drinking age should be 18 again, and we certainly need to eliminate the seatbelt law. Where is Jerry Williams when you need him.

I'm all for happy hour.

The few annual statistics I've found about the number of fatalities in MA have shown an overall decrease in fatalities over the years, but the decrease didn't coincide with the introduction of the ban.
http://floraandmuse.com/blog/fun-restaurants-in-houston/