Senate Bill 2930

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI TRAVEL AND TOURISM COUNCIL; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Mississippi Travel and Tourism Council to develop a sustained, integrated, collaborative, and long-term plan, that will realize the potential of the state's opportunities for growth in the travel and tourism sector, by establishing a strategic vision with an economic development orientation, in a public and private partnership.

(2) The council shall consist of the following members:

(a) Three (3) members who are directors of local convention and visitors bureaus and members of the Mississippi Tourism Association, two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the Governor and one (1) of whom shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor for initial terms of three (3) years. The Governor's appointments shall be residents of the Second and Third Supreme Court Districts and the Lieutenant Governor's appointment shall be a resident of the First Supreme Court District.

(b) Three (3) members who are owners of restaurants and members of the Mississippi Restaurant Association, one (1) of whom shall be appointed by the Governor and two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor for initial terms of two (2) years. The Governor's appointment shall be a resident of the First Supreme Court District and the Lieutenant Governor's appointments shall be residents of the Second and Third Supreme Court Districts.

(c) Three (3) members who are hoteliers and members of the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association and/or members of the Mississippi Gaming Association, two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the Governor and one (1) of whom shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor for initial terms of one (1) year. The Governor's appointments shall be residents of the Second and Third Supreme Court Districts and the Lieutenant Governor's appointment shall be a resident of the First Supreme Court District.

(d) Two (2) members from the state at large who represent tourism attractions or museums that are not operated by the State of Mississippi, one (1) of whom shall be appointed by the Governor and one (1) of whom shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor for initial terms of one (1) year.

(3) All appointments shall be with the advice and consent of the Senate and after the expiration of the initial terms, successor members shall be appointed by the Governor or Lieutenant Governor, as appropriate, for terms of three (3) years.

(4) The Director of Visit Mississippi, the Executive Director of the Mississippi Tourism Association, the Executive Director of the Mississippi Restaurant Association and the Executive Director of the Mississippi Gaming Association shall serve as nonvoting advisory members of the council.

(5) The council shall hold its first meeting not later than thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act with the date, time and location of the meeting to be designated by the Governor. At the first meeting, the council shall elect from among its membership a chair, vice chair, and any other officers determined to be necessary, and it shall set the date, time and location of its subsequent meetings. A majority of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

(6) All meetings of the council shall be open to the public, with opportunities for public comment provided on a regular basis. Notice of all meetings shall be given as provided in the Open Meetings Act in Section 25-41-1 et seq., and appropriate notice also shall be given to all persons requesting the date, time and place of each meeting.

(7) Members of the council shall serve without compensation for their services. The council is authorized to accept and expend funds that may be donated or provided in the form of legislative appropriations or financial grants from public or private sources. Any department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state, or of any political subdivision thereof, shall provide, at the request of the chair of the council, such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the advisory board to carry out its duties.

(8) The duties of the council include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) Formulation of a ten-year strategy for the development of travel and tourism in this state that attracts diverse stakeholders.

(b) Review of the state's existing laws, policies, and regulations that promote or pertain to the tourism industry in the state.

(d) Identifying public and private partnership opportunities, including a dedicated funding model to provide advertising and marketing funds to market the many positive attributes and advantages of the state to the rest of the nation and the world.

(e) Identifying any organizational or other governance obstacles that have the potential to inhibit the expansion of tourism in Mississippi.

(f) Reviewing current public and private funding opportunities and incentives.

(g) Developing an econometrical system (using math and statistics to verify economic theories) that periodically measure the impact of tourism in the state.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.