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Lieutenant governor's designee highlights state parks, library partnerships and anti-litter campaign
Summary
Brandon Burris, assistant secretary at the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, told commissioners that state parks welcomed about 2.1 million visitors in 2025, highlighted the Checkout Louisiana library-to-park backpack program, and previewed "Keep Louisiana Beautiful" driver-focused anti-litter materials tied to the state's 250th anniversary outreach.
Brandon Burris, assistant secretary for the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the lieutenant governor's designee, briefed the commission on a portfolio of civic-education and public-access initiatives that pair tourism, state parks and library outreach.
Burris told commissioners the state parks system includes 21 parks, 15 historic sites and one nature preserve, with 205 cabins, more than 1,700 campsites and 110 miles of roads in park holdings. "In 2025, we saw 2,100,000 visitors go to state parks," Burris said, and he estimated those visitors generated about $16,200,000 in park-system revenue that supports rural-parish economies.
Burris described Checkout Louisiana, a partnership with state libraries that lets families check out a backpack with park or museum admission and equipment: "Go to your local library with your library card and you can check out on the state park side a backpack that has all the things that you need to have a fun Saturday or a fun family outing...that backpack will contain a ticket that will get you and everybody in that vehicle in to the state park for complete free." He said thousands of Louisiana families have used the program since it began.
He also reviewed the Keep Louisiana Beautiful public-education campaign, which includes a driver'education video shown at driver-training sites that explains littering fines and encourages securing loads and reporting repeat offenders. The video states fines for simple littering can range from $150 to $900 and cites an annual statewide cleanup cost figure used by the campaign.
Commission members asked about specific parks and operations. Representative Freiburg asked whether a local golf course, Black Bear, is part of Poverty Point State Park; Burris said the course is operated by a concessionaire while cabins and campsites are run by state park staff. The presentation closed with Burris offering to answer further questions and to provide materials for commission use.
No formal action was requested or taken on the presentation.
