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 the definition; the gentleman from Washington replied that "this does not include nonprofit veteran organizations included but limited to the VFW and the Army and Navy Club and American Legion." The House recorded final passage of HB 1997 by voice and machine vote, 115 yeas and 2 nays.

On Senate Bill 3072, the floor explanation noted the bill would extend a hotel-motel tax repeal and revise the division of the tourism director—s pay for Lauderdale County. The explainer said the repeal had been extended to 2029 and that the measure carried documentation from the Lauderdale County board of supervisors. The House passed SB 3072 on final passage, 115 yays and 1 nay.

Senate Bill 3273 was presented as a local-authority expansion: the Stavapu Natural Gas Authority would expand its territory to provide natural gas service, with a map and documentation from the relevant board of supervisors presented to the House. The explainer moved final passage; the House approved the bill, 120 yeas and 0 nays.

Members took several sets of resolutions and ceremonial items en bloc earlier in the session. Two house concurrent resolutions (items 1 and 2) were adopted by machine vote, 113-0; a block of house resolutions (items 3 through 9) was adopted by voice; and three senate concurrent resolutions (items 11 through 13) were adopted by recorded vote, 118-0. One senate concurrent resolution set aside as item 10 was later called and passed (recorded as 13-0 in the transcript machine count for that item).

Discussion on the three bills was limited on the floor to the brief explanation by the bill sponsors and the single clarifying question about nonprofit veteran organizations during the House Bill 1997 explanation. No additional committee or floor amendments were recorded during final passage on the floor for these items.

Votes at a glance: - House Bill 1997 (Vicksburg tourism-tax restaurant definition; repeal extended to 2029): passed 115-2. - Senate Bill 3072 (Lauderdale County hotel-motel tax repeal extension; tourism director pay revisions): passed 115-1. - Senate Bill 3273 (Stavapu Natural Gas Authority territory expansion): passed 120-0.

The House adjourned until 9 a.m. the following day, with the journal to reflect the adjournment once the last conference report was filed.