- “It’s not sine die yet,” State Senator Lydia Chassaniol (R), referring to the Legislature’s last day of session, which is slated for April 5. “We haven’t got to the sausage-making process yet.”
The chairwoman of the Mississippi Senate Tourism Committee said Wednesday morning that a standalone state Department of Tourism could still become a reality even after two bills seeking to create the new state agency died in the House.
“It’s not sine die yet,” State Senator Lydia Chassaniol (R), referring to the Legislature’s last day of session, which is slated for April 5. “We haven’t got to the sausage-making process yet.”
She said language to establish the tourism department could be tucked into another bill.
The two bills that aimed to create a standalone state Department of Tourism – HB 1118 and SB 2016 – both died in the House State Affairs Committee.
During the 2025 session, the “Mississippi Tourism Reorganization Act” was vetoed by Governor Tate Reeves (R) due to the legislative wrangling over the state budget last year. Reeves said at the time that the bill as sent to him did not include the accompanying appropriations bills for either the Mississippi Development Authority or the would-be created Mississippi Department of Tourism. The governor did state that if sufficient appropriations are provided to both MDA and the Mississippi Department of Tourism, he would allow a similar bill to become law.
Earlier this session, Chassaniol said SB 2016 was “virtually the same thing that was passed last year.”
“It went through the Senate. It went through the House. Got to the governor’s office and didn’t get signed,” she said.
The Mississippi Legislature has tried to create a separate tourism department for a number of years, but proposals have died for one reason or another. Currently, tourism falls under the Mississippi Development Authority.
Visit Mississippi shared in October 2025 that the state welcomed a record 44.2 million visitors in 2024, and those visitors generated $18.1 billion for the Magnolia State’s economy. Tourism’s total economic impact sustained 136,094 jobs, translating to 1-in-13 jobs in the state, while providing $4.6 billion in labor income for Mississippians, the 2024 Tourism Economic Contribution Report conducted by Tourism Economics stated.
In addition, visitor activity generated $2.2 billion in government revenues in 2024, with state and local taxes topping $1.1 billion. These dollars provide for additional investment in the education, infrastructure and public services for Mississippians.
Senator Chassaniol believes now is the time for Mississippi to lean into its tourism potential with a singular focus from a standalone Department of Tourism. It remains to be seen whether she will be able to move the effort forward as the 2026 session winds down.
