SB2573 would have created the Mississippi Department of Tourism as a new state agency.
The House passed SB2573 on April 1, 2025, by a vote of 107 to 9, prior to the governor's veto. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the Mississippi Legislature has no business providing or subsidizing "tourism services." The tourism industry needs zero handouts from taxpayers. "Economic development" is nothing other than a cliché used by corporatist cronies to steal proliferate amounts of public money and finance their corrupt "pork-barrel" projects in violation of the principles of free-market enterprise. The U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment were not intended to pick economic "winners" and "losers."
United States Constitution
Fifth Amendment
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
United States Constitution
Ninth Amendment
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
United States Constitution
14th Amendment Section 1
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
