JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Mississippi House has killed a bill that would have created a state Department of Tourism. Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and the Senate had proposed taking tourism promotion duties away from Mississippi Development Authority, the state agency that works on job creation.
The tourism bill was among the proposals that died under the latest legislative deadline.
Wednesday was the last day for Mississippi House and Senate to consider general bills and constitutional amendments that had already passed the other chamber. Some bills will go to the governor. Bills that were amended and passed will return to their original chamber, which could either accept the amendments or seek final negotiations. There are later deadlines for budget and revenue bills.
Here is the status of some general bills:
GONE TO THE GOVERNOR
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES - Senate Bill 2536 would ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ or women’s sports teams in Mississippi schools, community colleges and universities. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves is scheduled to sign it Thursday.
ALIVE
ALCOHOL - House Bill 1135 and Senate Bill 2804 would allow home delivery of beer, wine and liquor.
COLLEGE ATHLETES - Senate Bill 2313 would allow college athletes to be compensated for their own name, image and likeness.
COMPUTER SCIENCE - House Bill 633 would require the state Department of Education to set a computer science curriculum for K-12 schools.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE - House Bill 525 and Senate Bill 2795 would revise some rules for parole.
ELECTRIC BICYCLES - Senate Bill 2483 says electric bicycles would not be regulated as motor vehicles.
GUNS - Senate Bill 2107 would prevent cities and counties from having contracts or rental agreements that restrict possession, sale or transport of firearms or ammunition. It also would prevent many state agencies from putting restrictions on guns; exceptions would be allowed for courts, universities, community colleges and schools. House Bill 634 is similar.
HIGHWAY PATROL - Senate Bill 2788 would give the Highway Patrol more authority to respond to speeding, blocked highways or other emergencies. The bill would remove the current ban on the Highway Patrol’s use of radar to detect speeding in cities with a population of at least 15,000.
OUTDOORS - House Bill 1231 would create the Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund to pay for conservation projects.
PECANS - Senate Bill 2072 would create a committee to study “to maximize the benefits” of pecan harvesting. This is a change from the original version of the bill, which proposed stricter penalties for stealing pecans.
POLICE - Senate Bill 2434 would make Capitol Police a part of the Department of Public Safety, giving the state more police power inside parts of the city of Jackson where state government buildings are located.
REVENGE PORN - Senate Bill 2121 would set penalties for people who share intimate visual material of another person without that person’s permission and with the intent to cause harm.
TEACHER PAY - The Senate amended House Bill 852 to give most teachers a $1,000 pay raise. Newer teachers would get $1,100. The bill returns to the House.
TRIBAL IDENTIFICATION - House Bill 277 would add tribal identification, with photo, to the list of legally acceptable IDs for many transactions in the state.
DEAD
BIRTH CERTIFICATE - Senate Bill 2205 would have allowed any adopted person to obtain a certified copy of his or her original birth certificate at least 18 years after the certificate is issued.
HISTORY BOARD - Senate Bill 2727 would have changed the nomination process state Department of Archives and History board members. Historians criticized the proposal, saying that having nominations from the governor and lieutenant governor could politicize the board. Under the current system, the board’s members nominate new members.
TOURISM - Senate Bill 2820 would have created a state Department of Tourism.
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