BOSTON – The Massachusetts State House is typically quiet on Fridays but not this week, as state lawmakers work to push major pieces of legislation to the governor’s desk, including a possible return of Happy Hour.

“This place is going to be buzzing”

“I think for the next five days, this place is going to be buzzing,” State Sen. Barry Finegold told WBZ-TV from his Statehouse office. Buzzing with fellow legislators, lobbyists and stressed-out staffers racing to beat the Wednesday deadline. “We’re very hopeful that it’s going to get done.”

Republican State Rep. Marc Lombardo is frustrated by the procrastination, pointing to the House, Senate and corner office being dominated by Democrats. “It’s a tornado of activity that really doesn’t have to wait until the last week of July,” he said.

The House and Senate have until Wednesday to hammer out their differences on key bills. Bills that don’t get voted out of conference committee essentially “die” on Beacon Hill.

Finegold heads the Joint Economic Development Committee, working on a multi-billion-dollar package that could pave the way for a new soccer stadium in Everett for the New England Revolution.

Will Happy Hour come back to Massachusetts?

How about bringing Happy Hour back to Massachusetts?

“We’re hopeful to get that passed as well,” Finegold explained. “We do have a lot of younger people in our city and throughout Massachusetts and we want to do things that we think they’ll like.”

While Rep. Lombardo can see how this could help the economy, he’s not a fan of the last-minute rush to the finish line.

He said lawmakers are “expected to read bills very quickly as they come out of conference committee…hundreds of pages of documents and yet forced to get a vote because we’ve waited to the last moment to put things on the floor.”

Complex legislation, packed with all sorts of line items.

The CEO of Boston Pads is watching the housing bill closely as lawmakers debate whether or not to ban broker’s fees for renters.

“These agents spend a lot of timing calling all day. It’s not uncommon for them to show an apartment at eight or even nine o’clock at night,” said Demetrios Salpoglou.

It’s a vote that he said could have crippling impacts on the real estate industry in Massachusetts.

This is just a glimpse of the mad rush and closed-door negotiations at the State House.

“This is what it takes,” Finegold said. “We have to get things done.”

A Massachusetts city has been named among the 50 best places in America for families to live in 2024.

In assembling its “50 Best Places to Live for Families 2024″ ranking, Fortune says it analyzed more than 2,000 cities and reviewed nearly 200 data categories across five main themes including education, resources for aging adults, general wellness, financial health, and livability.

“This ranking focused on the best places for families, many of whom are shouldering the responsibilities of raising their own children while caring for aging parents,” Fortune said of its methodology. “As the retirement dream is unraveling for many older adults who don’t want to leave the workforce or can’t afford to, finding a place to live that provides a strong job market has never been more critical.”

The cities and towns that made Fortune’s list are described as ones “where multigenerational families can thrive.”

Somerville cracked the top 15 on the list, checking in at No. 11. Other New England cities were recognized as well:

• 10. Portsmouth, New Hampshire

• 17. South Portland, Maine

• 29. South Burlington, Vermont

• 32. Stamford, Connecticut

• 47. Providence, Rhode Island

Silver Spring, Maryland, was named the very best city for families to live.

For more on Fortune’s ranking, click here.

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