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Read. Follow. Verify.Mississippi Senate Bill 2397 Clarifies State Tidelands Jurisdiction and Secretary of State Lease Authority for Casinos
Last action · February 3, 2026: 02/03 (S) Died In CommitteeSponsor: David Blount
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What This Bill Proposed
AN ACT TO DEFINE STATE JURISDICTION OVER PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO APPROVE LEASES LOCATED ON PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 29-1-107, 29-15-1, 29-15-3, 29-15-5, 29-15-9 AND 29-15-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, AND TO CODIFY SECTION 29-15-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DECLARE LEGISLATIVE INTENT RELATIVE TO PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS, TO CLARIFY THE REQUIREMENT OF A SEPARATE LEASE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO RENT LAND ON PUBLIC TRUST TIDELANDS PROPERTY, TO CLARIFY THAT THE LEASE NEEDED TO MOVE ON SHORE IS ONE WITH THE STATE OR THE STATE PORT AT GULFPORT, TO REVISE DEFINITIONS, TO PROVIDE THAT STATE-HELD TIDELANDS SUBJECT TO PUBLIC TRUST ARE PRESCRIBED IN TIDELANDS MAPS AND BOUNDARY AGREEMENTS AND COURT ORDERS CONFIRMING THE MAPS, TO CONFIRM ALL AUTHORITY OVER TIDELANDS IN THE STATE UNLESS SPECIFICALLY SEVERED OR GIVEN TO A SPECIFIC STATE AGENCY OR POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, TO CONFIRM AUTHORITY, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OVER TIDELANDS IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE, TO CLARIFY THAT ONLY SPECIFIC ACTION BY THE LEGISLATURE CAN DIVEST THE SECRETARY OF STATE OF SUCH MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL; TO AMEND SECTIONS 59-7-405 AND 59-15-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITY SHALL NOT LEASE, SUBLEASE, RENT OR PROVIDE ACCESS FOR ANY GAMING PURPOSES UNDER THIS AUTHORITY; TO AMEND SECTIONS 75-76-67, 87-1-5, 97-33-1, 97-33-7, 97-33-17, 97-33-25 AND 97-33-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE AND CLARIFY THE AUTHORITY OF THE MISSISSIPPI GAMING COMMISSION IN DETERMINING LEGAL GAMING SITES AND PRELIMINARY SITE APPROVAL AND TO CLARIFY AREAS AUTHORIZED FOR GAMING CASINO OPERATIONS AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION TO REGULATE MINIMUM SIZE, MINIMUM IMPROVEMENTS AND OTHER PROJECT REQUIREMENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
The measure establishes stricter control over state-owned coastal lands and sets minimum capital and physical requirements for coastal gaming operators seeking site approval.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Gaming Licensees and Applicants
Gaming operators must obtain direct leases from the Secretary of State for using Public Trust Tidelands and comply with new minimum capital improvement and facility size requirements.
Residential Property Owners
Residential owners are expressly exempted from obtaining tidelands leases when exercising personal, noncommercial littoral and riparian rights.
Local Governing Authorities and Port Commissions
Municipalities and port commissions are prohibited from leasing, subleasing, or providing access for gaming purposes on public tidelands, except for sites approved prior to December 31, 2024.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do coastal homeowners need a lease to use public tidelands for personal docks?
What are the new facility minimums for casinos applying for site approval after December 31, 2024?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died in committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 3, 2026Senate02/03 (S) Died In Committee
- Jan 19, 2026SenateCommittee01/19 (S) Referred To Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Centralization of Tidelands Leasing
The bill explicitly strips local municipalities and counties of authority to lease public tidelands for gaming purposes, consolidating control under the Secretary of State.
Connected Entities
Sources
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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