Despite the fact that revenues from the Philadelphia soda tax appear to have been overpromised and are now under-delivering, and the roll-out of the new soda tax in Cook County, Illinois was an unmitigated disaster, the idea continues to grow in popularity. This week, Massachusetts legislature’s Joint Committee on Revenue took testimony on a new soda tax proposal for the Bay State. H.3329 is a new soda tax proposal structured as a ‘sliding scale’ that would add a penny per ounce to the cost of beverages containing between 5 and 20 grams of sugar per 12 ounces and 2 cents an ounce additional tax on those in excess of 20 grams per 12 ounces.  The bill is still being deliberated in committee. At the same time, two Pennsylvania legislators who represent parts of Philadelphia are expected to file a bill that would effectively negate the aforementioned Philadelphia soda tax! Back to the Massachusetts legislature, the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a hearing this week on H.3144, An Act establishing Just Schedules for Employees, a bill largely modeled after the new scheduling mandates imposed in New York City. H.3144 would punish any fast food restaurant, retail store or hotel that changes, cancels, adds to or reduces an employee’s schedule within 10 days of his/her scheduled shift, requiring the payment of up to 4 additional hours.  There is much to watch for going forward in some of these areas . . .