BATON ROUGE (AP) — A second state agency is making plans to sell ads on its property.
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries hasn't set guidelines but owns vehicles, vessels and more than 1.5 million acres of land where ad space could be sold. Such sales will become legal for the agency when a new law goes into effect Aug. 1.
There won't be any permanent signs or billboards in wildlife management areas, Secretary Robert Barham told The Advocate’s Marsha Shuler. He said possible uses could include "wrap-around" ads on agency trailers and signs at public events.
The commission won't propose the rules until August or September.
The law would allow advertising "on essentially any asset," said Cole Garrett, the agency's legislative liaison.
"It could be a billboard along a highway, any movable asset — vehicles or vessels. It's pretty wide open from the standpoint of authority," Garrett said. "We think it's an innovative thing to help an agency that's self-funded."
A similar law was passed in 2013 for the Department of Transportation and Development. Its State Motorist Assistance Program vehicles carry State Farm's name in exchange for the insurance company's $250,000 annual payment, which helps underwrite the service.
State agency ad sales are picking up steam in other states.
There's strong disagreement about their effect on a state's image and where to draw the line, both on the type of advertisers and ad placement.
DOTD has hired a national firm to plan, market, implement and manage its overall sponsorship program. The Superlative Group of Ohio will get 30 percent of revenues generated by any agreements it works out that are approved by the department.
The firm has had similar contracts in other states, including Ohio.
