BOSTON (AP) — Democratic leaders in the Massachusetts House and Senate are scrambling to get final versions of major pieces of legislation onto Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk before they end their formal sessions for the year.
That deadline is Tuesday. Both chambers have opted against coming in over the weekend to vote on any of the bills.
A handful of bills have managed to squeak through before the deadline, including a bill Baker signed Friday requiring people be at least 21 before they can buy cigarettes, tobacco or vaping products.
Many other bills have yet to reach Baker’s desk, including bills to address the state’s ongoing opioid addiction crisis, regulate short-term rental websites like Airbnb, designate a sales tax free weekend this August and ban the use of hand-held cellphones by motorists.