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politics1d ago
He can build aircraft engines. Massachusetts won’t let him install a toilet. - The Boston Globe
- The Supreme Court declined to hear John Carbin’s challenge to Massachusetts' DIY plumbing ban, leaving the law intact.
- Massachusetts remains the only state prohibiting non-licensed homeowners from doing their own plumbing.
- Carbin argued his retirement home design conflicted with the state’s plumbing code, prompting legal action and appeals.
- The court considered the issue under the rational basis test, finding the health and safety rationale insufficient.
- Massachusetts argues the ban protects health and safety, though critics question why homeowners would be uniquely unsafe.
- The case drew attention to Massachusetts’ political dynamics, where lawmakers face little risk over plumbing code changes.
- The article notes Massachusetts residents have been leaving the state due to housing costs and taxes, with the plumbing ban seen as symbolic of overregulation.
- Carbin’s pursuit of a legal remedy included suing, appeals, and support from Pacific Legal Foundation before the Supreme Court denial.
- The plaintiff described his goal as being allowed to ‘work on my property with my own two hands,’ a line cited in his letter to Supreme Court justices.
- The piece concludes with a call for repeal of the ban to allow homeowners greater autonomy in home projects.
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