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Massachusetts Defends Free Speech But There Are Limits

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Massachusetts Defends Free Speech But There Are Limits


Which words are illegal to say in Massachusetts? The short answer is none.

Well, sort of. There is no list of banned words that you cannot say.

You can face charges if you let loose with a volley of offensive terms aimed at someone during the commission of a hate crime or if your words are determined to be hate speech.

To say or write an offensive word is protected free speech.

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I read a lot of U.S. history. The “N-word,” perhaps the most offensive word in American English, appears periodically, most often attributed to someone as part of a quotation. In that context, the presentation of the word is not hate speech.

Directing the word at an individual or group of people could be problematic.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of the Trial Courts Law Library states, “A hate crime is a crime that is motivated by bigotry.”

The Commonwealth further explains, “Hate speech is defined by Black’s Law Dictionary (10th ed., 2014) as: ‘Speech that carries no meaning other than the expression of hatred for some group, such as a particular race, esp. in circumstances in which the communication is likely to provoke violence.”

The Massachusetts Executive Office of the Trial Courts Law Library says, “There is no ‘hate speech’ exception to the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.” Nevertheless, the Commonwealth says, “The right to free speech is not absolute.”

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Massachusetts Defends Free Speech But There Are Limits

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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that certain types of speech are not protected by the Constitution, including “the lewd and obscene, the profane, the libelous, the insulting or ‘fighting words,’ – those by which their very utterance inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace.”

However, NBC News reported in May 2021, “The U.S. Supreme Court won’t decide if use of the N-word amounts to illegal discrimination.”

Chapter 272, Section 36A of Massachusetts State Law states, “Whoever, having arrived at the age of sixteen years, directs any profane, obscene or impure language or slanderous statement at a participant or official in a sporting event, shall be punished by a fine of not more than fifty dollars.”

Georgetown University’s Free Speech Project says the Massachusetts Legislature rejected proposed legislation in 2019 to “prohibit the word ‘bitch’ to ‘accost, annoy, degrade or demean the other person.” The Free Speech Project says legal experts found the proposal to be unconstitutional.

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Are you confused yet?

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15 of the Weirdest Laws in Rhode Island

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These are some of the strangest laws still on the books in Rhode Island.

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Massachusetts

State fire marshal warns Mass. bars, restaurants against sparklers after deadly Swiss blaze – The Boston Globe

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State fire marshal warns Mass. bars, restaurants against sparklers after deadly Swiss blaze – The Boston Globe


Massachusetts fire officials are warning bars, restaurants, and nightclubs that sparklers and other pyrotechnic devices pose a serious fire risk and are illegal to use without professional licensing, following a deadly New Year’s Eve fire in Switzerland that killed 40 people.

State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine sent a notice Tuesday to businesses across the state reminding them that sparklers — including so-called “cold spark” pyrotechnics often marketed for celebrations — are prohibited unless businesses have the required licensing, certification, and permits, according to a statement from Davine’s office.

“This includes small sparklers that have been sold as novelties or party favors to accompany champagne bottles, which are believed to have caused the New Year’s Eve fire that claimed 40 lives,” Davine said in the statement.

The warning comes after investigators said sparklers likely contributed to a New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, that injured more than 100 people in addition to the dozens killed.

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The notice was distributed to local licensing authorities by the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission and shared with restaurant owners statewide by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Davine said.

Separately, the state Department of Fire Services issued a notice to a Florida-based company, King of Sparklers LLC, after sparklers it allegedly sold online were recovered by Fall River fire inspectors at a local establishment, the fire marshal’s office said. Officials said shipping such products into the state violates state law and the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Code.

Fire officials said sparklers burn at temperatures exceeding 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and throw off sparks capable of igniting decorations, furnishings, and other flammable materials. Even after they appear extinguished, sparklers can remain hot enough to start fires, officials said.

Davine pointed to a 2022 incident in Dracut, where the improper disposal of illegal sparklers sparked a three-alarm fire that displaced nine residents.

Sparklers are classified as fireworks under state law, meaning their possession, sale, and use require professional licensing and certification, the Department of Fire Services said.

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Davine said the tragedy in Switzerland echoed memories of the 2003 Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I., which killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. The fire prompted sweeping safety reforms in Rhode Island as well as Massachusetts.

The Rhode Island fire was sparked during a concert when a band’s pyrotechnics ignited the sound-proofing foam near the stage, and the flames licked their way up the wall. It took a moment for the crowd to realize what was happening, but within 90 seconds after the fire ignited people stampeded toward the front entrance and were crushed, the Globe reported.

“The tragic fire in Switzerland has a chilling similarity to the Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island, which led to numerous safety reforms in Massachusetts bars and clubs,” Davine said in the statement Tuesday. “We just want to help these businesses keep their patrons and staff safe.”

Rhode Island State Fire Marshal Tim McLaughlin also recalled the Station nightclub fire in the wake of the Swiss blaze.

“It’s almost eerie to think about it — the similarities between the two,” McLaughlin told WPRI-TV this week. “It was something I never thought I’d see again.”

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Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com.





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Seatbelt usage up to 85 percent of drivers in Mass. in 2025, officials say – The Boston Globe

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Seatbelt usage up to 85 percent of drivers in Mass. in 2025, officials say – The Boston Globe


Seatbelt usage in Massachusetts increased in 2025 for the third consecutive year, “marking the state’s highest seat belt usage rate on record,” officials said in a release this week.

The annual Massachusetts Safety Belt Observational Study found belt usage rate of 85.53 percent among the state’s drivers last year, up from 84.36 percent in 2024 and 80 percent in 2023, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration.

The increase in seatbelt usage last year corresponded with a lower rate of fatal crashes, with 342 reported in the state in 2025 compared to 364 in 2024, said a statement from the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security on Monday.

“We know that seat belts save lives, and it’s so important that seat belt usage continues to increase every year in Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, in the statement. “We’re grateful for the hard work of our partners in transportation, public safety and local governments to enhance safety on the roads for us all.”

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The governor’s words were echoed in the statement by her number two, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.

“Whether you’re a driver or passenger, one of the most important things you can do to protect your safety is to buckle your seat belt,” Driscoll said. “This study shows that we’ve made progress in increasing the safety of road users.”

The annual study is required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to the statement, which said seat belt usage in Massachusetts has increased by more than 10 percent since 2015.

“Everyone has a role to play in keeping our roads safe, and wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest steps we can take to protect ourselves and the people we care about,” said Gina K. Kwon, the state’s public safety and security boss, in the release.

“When drivers and passengers buckle up every time, they help prevent serious injuries and make travel safer for families and communities across the Commonwealth,” Kwon said.

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Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.





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Canadian hydropower line to Massachusetts expected to be running in January

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Canadian hydropower line to Massachusetts expected to be running in January


The long-awaited hydropower line delivering electricity from Québec to New England is expected to be running in January after years of hurdles and delays, the company Hydro Québec stated.

“We have been actively testing the line and the transformers for the past several weeks and are making good progress,” a spokesperson for Hydro Québec said, adding the teams were actively working on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border and “expect to be ready begin energy deliveries in January.”

The New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) transmission line, initiated nearly in 2017 under the Baker administration and under construction since 2021, is set to deliver 1,200 megawatts of hydropower from Québec to New England over 20 years, becoming one of the largest sources of baseload power in the region.

Avangrid, the company behind the NECEC, announced in November it had secured the final permit to get the power line running after years of regulatory and legal hurdles. The company estimated the line would be running by the end of 2025 at the time.

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The project to bring Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid, estimated to cost about $1 billion, is expected to provide Massachusetts with approximately 20% of it overall electricity.

The clean energy line will deliver about $3 billion in net benefits to Massachusetts residents paying for electricity, including “reducing in ratepayer bills by around $50 million each year,” state officials said.

“This transmission line will deliver affordable, stable power from our partners in Canada to our residents and businesses,” Gov. Maura Healey said in November. “More energy means lower costs. The NECEC line is a key part of our all-of-the-above approach to lowering energy costs and delivering the power our economy needs.”

On average, officials estimated, residents can expect to save $18 to $20 a year over the contract term.



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