Abington Select Board extends bar hours one hour under new state pilot

ABINGTON — June 11, 2026 — Abington Select Board unanimously opts into state pilot extending bar hours by one hour through July 31. The board voted Thursday under a law signed by Governor Healey on June 8, 2026, allowing local licensing authorities to extend on-premise pouring license closing times by up to one additional hour — stopping short of the state's 3 a.m. ceiling since no Abington establishment currently holds a license past 2 a.m. Package stores are excluded; only pouring establishments that submit a written request to the town manager may take advantage of the extension. Abington Police Chief offered no objections but asked for board support in mandating detail officers at any location that experiences problems during the extended hours. The pilot, tied to the World Cup, SAIL 2026, and the national 250th anniversary, expires automatically at midnight on July 31, 2026.