A bill that could have authorized riverboat gambling in Mississippi’s Capital has died after failing to make it out of committee.
Senate Bill 2820 (SB 2820), introduced by Sen. John Horhn, would have authorized cruise vessels on the Pearl River or adjoining bodies of water within a city with a population of 145,000 or more.
If passed, the legislation introduced on Feb. 19 would have gone into effect on July 1, just ahead of Independence Day celebrations. Instead, on Tuesday, the proposed amendment died in the Senate Gaming Committee.
Currently, the Mississippi Gaming Control Act (MGCA) allows riverboat gambling in counties along the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast—subject to regional voter approval.