Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a measure that would allow cities and towns to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the summer, as the state prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches and celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The legislation (H.5465) filed by state Rep. Carole Fiola, would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. The bill would also allow communities to establish designated public consumption districts where alcohol could be consumed in approved public spaces.

In a press release announcing the bill, Fiola said the summer’s threefold events lineup — the World Cup, Tall Ships, and July 4th — is an economically significant moment that the state should take advantage of.

“We should capitalize on these events that will generate economic benefits for small businesses and the state as a whole. It’s a local opt-in idea worth exploring that’s being done in other states,” Fiola said.

The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure.

“Massachusetts is planning for a once-in-a-generation summer,” Healey wrote, according to the Boston Globe. “In 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, welcome tall ships from around the world to Boston Harbor for Sail Boston, and host seven FIFA World Cup matches in Foxborough, along with watch parties across the Commonwealth.”

The governor argued that the added flexibility could help local economies benefit from an influx of visitors.

“That flexibility can help communities capture more visitor spending, support jobs, keep downtowns active, and strengthen Massachusetts’ image as a dynamic destination ready to host the world and a place our residents, including our young professionals, are proud to call home,” Healey wrote.

She also urged lawmakers to move the legislation forward, saying it will “help Massachusetts meet the full economic and cultural opportunities for the summer ahead.”

In Rhode Island, a similar bill to allow bars and restaurants to remain open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup was signed into law on Friday.

Fiola’s bill remains before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Any final version would require approval from both the House and Senate before reaching Healey’s desk.

Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.

The meteor responsible for a loud boom heard in Rhode Island and Massachusetts Saturday afternoon was approximately 5 feet in diameter and weighed more than 12,000 pounds, according to NASA.

The object entered Earth’s atmosphere at roughly 42,000 mph, a NASA spokesperson said. It then traveled through the atmosphere from northwest to southeast for 26 miles before breaking up and producing a meteorite fall into Cape Cod Bay.

The energy released when the object broke up at an altitude of 31 miles is estimated to be equivalent to about 230 tons of TNT, according to NASA.

Professor Ralph Milliken of the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Brown University spoke with NBC 10’s Mike Cerullo. (WJAR)

While it’s not very common to experience a 5-foot-wide meteorite, there is a significant amount of debris from space that reaches Earth.

“The estimates are that we probably have about 5,000 tons of cosmic dust and material and meteorites landing on Earth. The vast majority of that is super tiny stuff, we’re talking things that are smaller than a grain of sand, or the thickness of a human hair,” said Professor Ralph Milliken of the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Brown University. “For something of this size a few feet across, it’s not that common, but a few a year. Most of these would occur over uninhabited areas, over the ocean, and we wouldn’t be able to see them, but they are detected.”

Because of its size, a meteorite with a 5-foot diameter is difficult to track before it enter Earth’s atmosphere.

“It’s virtually impossible to kind of know in advance of this size object coming,” Milliken said.

Scientists are, however, able to track much larger space objects. NASA has been developing technology to try to deflect larger objects if needed.

Events like what occurred in New England over the weekend are recorded. Although other fireballs enter Earth’s atmosphere throughout the year, many of them materialize over water and uninhabited areas.

Championship season is upon us, and we’re tracking every title winner in Massachusetts this spring.

From the golf sectionals in late May to championship weekend June 11-14, a four-day stretch in which 31 titlists will be crowned across boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, boys and girls’ tennis, boys’ and girls’ rugby, boys’ volleyball, softball, and baseball, we’ll have you covered.

Find all the dates, brackets, seedings, matchups, and links to our postseason previews here.

Follow us on X @GlobeSchools, Instagram @BGlobeSchools, and Facebook to stay up to date.

Over at Globe.com/Schools you’ll find our daily scoreboard, nightly Takeaways, game coverage, videos, live streams, and our weekly Varsity News newsletter (sign up for free) to keep you in the know.

Division 1: Lexington girls, St. John’s Prep boys

Lexington girls graduate to two-time Division 1 track champions, St. John’s Prep sprints to boys’ title

Division 2: Billerica girls, North Andover boys

Billerica girls unphazed by move up to Division 2, going back-to-back as North Andover boys dominate

Division 3: Canton girls, Walpole boys

Canton girls cap greatest season with first Division 3 track title, Walpole boys win by thinnest margin

Division 4: Duxbury girls, Newburyport boys

Historic win for Duxbury girls, Mohoric paces Newburyport boys to Division 4 outdoor track championship

Division 5: North Reading girls, Weston boys

It’s four in a row for North Reading girls, two straight for Weston boys at Division 5 track championships

Division 6: Ayer Shirley girls, Abington boys

Ayer Shirley girls pick up where they left off, Abington boys twinning at Division 6 track championships

Day 1, Divisions 1, 2, and 5: Lexington boys and girls setting the pace at Division 1 track & field championships

Day 1, Divisions 3, 4, and 6: Canton girls make a strong run to first at Division 3 track championships

South: Walpole | With Tori Adams as its driving force, Walpole scores third straight MIAA South girls’ golf championship

North/Central/West: Hopkinton | Concord-Carlisle’s Sophie Redmond, Hopkinton rule MIAA girls’ golf championship for North/Central/West

With titles for Natick and Peabody and smiles for all, MIAA unified track championship ‘beyond inspiring’

Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.