Idaho lawmaker introduces school bus advertising bill

BOISE, Idaho — State Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder introduced a bill in the Idaho Legislature this week that would allow local boards of trustees to sell advertising space on school buses.

Under the legislation, the state board of education would draft rules that would provide for the safe placement of the advertisements, and provide for reasonable restriction on advertising content.

While supporters of school bus advertising say that it would essentially provide “free money” to districts, opponents argue that the tactic isn't much different from dressing teachers in “sponsor-emblazoned uniforms,” The Associated Press reports.

Idaho lawmakers are the latest in several states to consider school bus advertising as a revenue generator for school districts. Most recently, Utah Rep. Jim Bird introduced for the second time a bill on the subject. It was rejected late last month, but was resurrected and approved by the House earlier this week, Deseret News reports.

In an effort to appease some of his colleagues' concerns about safety issues related to school bus advertising, Bird amended the legislation to include restrictions on the size an advertisement could be, limiting ads to 35 percent of the size of the side of the bus.

Moreover, in early January, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed into law a bill that allows school districts statewide to place advertisements on the exterior sides of their buses.