Senate Bill 2876

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI HOTEL AND LODGING REVIEW BOARD AS PART OF THE MISSISSIPPI HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF UPHOLDING INDUSTRY STANDARDS OF CLEANLINESS, SAFETY AND SECURITY; TO ESTABLISH THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE BOARD AND THE TERMS OF BOARD MEMBERS; TO SET OUT THE BOARD'S POWERS AND DUTIES; TO EXEMPT FROM THIS ACT ANY PROPERTY OWNED AND MANAGED BY A GAMING CASINO AND REGULATED BY THE MISSISSIPPI GAMING COMMISSION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD SHALL BE CONSTITUTED NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 31, 2022, AND SHALL ADOPT RULES AND STANDARDS NO LATER THAN JUNE 30, 2023; TO PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT SHALL STAND REPEALED ON JUNE 30, 2026; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Review Board as part of the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association for the purpose of upholding industry standards of cleanliness, safety and security, and of ensuring that room and property conditions, together with food, beverage and banquet facilities, adhere to the standards and to customer expectations. Enforcement of these standards will provide consistency and will maintain and enhance the State of Mississippi's reputation as an outstanding tourism and business destination.

(2) As used in this section, the following terms have the meanings ascribed below:

(a) "Board" means the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Review Board.

(b) "Association" means the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association.

(3) (a) The six-member board shall be constituted as follows:

(i) Two (2) owners of hotels of seventy-six (76) rooms or more, one (1) to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, to serve a two-year initial term, and the other to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, to serve a one-year initial term;

(ii) Two (2) owners of hotels of seventy-five (75) rooms or fewer, one (1) to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, to serve a one-year initial term, and the other to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, to serve a two-year initial term;

(iii) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association, to serve a three-year initial term; and

(iv) An at-large member to be appointed by the Governor, to serve a three-year initial term.

(b) After the initial terms, the term length for all board members shall be four (4) years.

(4) The board shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To receive and investigate complaints from patrons regarding cleanliness, safety, pricing integrity and other matters affecting the customer's experience;

(b) To work with the Mississippi Department of Health to bring a hotel or lodging property up to standards;

(d) To levy a fine not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) against a hotel or lodging property for failure to take the required action. The fine shall be paid to the association, which shall use the fine proceeds to pay any expenses incurred by the board in investigating complaints.

(5) Any hotel and lodging property owned and managed by a gaming casino and regulated by the Mississippi Gaming Commission is exempt from this act.

(6) The board shall be constituted no later than December 31, 2022, and shall adopt rules and standards no later than June 30, 2023.

SECTION 2. This act shall stand repealed on June 30, 2026.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.