Mississippi House approves local tax and utility measures, expands gas authority

The Mississippi House of Representatives on Oct. 27 approved several local measures on final passage, including a change to Vicksburg—s tourism-tax definition of "restaurant," an extension of a hotel-motel tax repeal in Lauderdale County and an expansion of a natural-gas authority—s territory.

House Bill 1997, presented on the floor by the gentleman from Washington (Representative), "is for the city of Vicksburg to revise the definition of restaurant under Vicksburg economic and recreation tourism tax," the gentleman from Washington said. He also told members the measure "extended the repeal to 2029" and that the bill came with a resolution from the city certified by the clerk. Representative Banks (General from Hines) asked how the bill would change…