Mass. Lawmakers

BOSTON (AP) _ Massachusetts lawmakers have agreed on language that calls for a ban on ``bump stocks,'' devices that can increase the firing rate of a weapon. The state would be the first to ban bump stocks since the deadliest mass shooting in modern U...

Massachusetts House lawmakers have approved a bill aimed at addressing the state's alarming spike in opioid overdoses and deaths. The bill passed Wednesday on a unanimous vote. It would limit initial opiate painkiller prescriptions to a seven-day supply and set an evaluation requirement within 24 hours for overdose victims seeking help at emergency rooms...

A special commission charged with studying the economic fallout of the illegal cigarette and tobacco trade in Massachusetts is preparing to hold its first meeting.       The commission was created by state lawmakers to determine the magnitude of the black market tobacco trade.  ...

Tuition is remaining flat for undergraduate students at Massachusetts public colleges and universities this fall.

State alcohol regulators are coming out against repealing the state's happy hour ban.  Lawmakers, however, are considering a roll back of the restriction to help restaurants compete for business against casinos.  Casinos are allowed to serve free alcoholic drinks since the 2011 Gaming Act...

Massachusetts lawmakers have approved a bill designed to improve dam safety. The legislation would set aside $17 million for the repair or removal of unsafe, abandoned, or useless dams while also helping strengthen the state's coastal infrastructure. ...