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Committee advances bill clarifying public-trust leases and gaming-site rules
Summary
Senate Bill 2381 would require gaming license applicants to hold a public-trust tidelands lease from the state and clarifies that local ports and harbors retain control of their facilities but cannot be used for gaming licenses; the committee reported the measure out after discussion.
Senate Bill 2381, a measure addressing interactions between the Public Trust Tidelands framework and the Gaming Control Act, was reported out of the Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee after discussion about site qualifications and existing approvals.
Senator Ladner, the sponsor, said the bill clarifies that, to qualify for a gaming license, an applicant must have a public-trust tidelands lease from the state executed through the Secretary of State. He said the bill confirms local port and harbor authorities retain control of their port facilities, and it prohibits municipalities and counties from using their local ports for gaming licenses or gaming purposes. The bill also codifies site-suitability and amenity requirements previously established by the Gaming Commission.
Ladner said the intent is to provide statutory and regulatory stability for Mississippi’s gaming industry and that the measure is not intended to be anti-competitive. He told the committee the bill would not retroactively affect existing approved sites, noting there are roughly "15 or 17 approved gaming sites in Mississippi right now that have not applied for a license"; the sponsor said the bill is not intended to force those property owners back through the process.
A committee member asked if the bill would affect pending applications; the sponsor said pending applications are not addressed by the bill and that committee staff could work with stakeholders to craft language before floor consideration.
The committee voted to report the bill out with the committee substitute; the chair announced "the ayes have it." No roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript.
The sponsor said he had received calls from applicants and representatives and that staff would work to address concerns before the bill reaches the floor.
