Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

H.B. 965
                           GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
                                                                                                May 1, 2024
                                       SESSION 2023                                       HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
     H                                                                                                   D
                                   HOUSE BILL DRH40567-MTa-207
     Short Title:    UNC Intrastate Athletic Competition.                                          (Public)
     Sponsors:       Representative Willis.
     Referred to:
                                       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT TO REQUIRE ELIGIBLE CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY
     OF NORTH CAROLINA TO REGULARLY COMPETE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IN
     FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL.
              Whereas, sports tourism is vital to the economy of North Carolina, and intrastate
 collegiate athletics generates millions of dollars in economic impact to the State; and
              Whereas, it is the priority of the General Assembly to encourage intrastate collegiate
 athletics rivalries in order to promote economic development; Now, therefore,
 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
              SECTION 1. Part 3 of Article 1 of Chapter 116 of the General Statutes is amended
 by adding a new section to read:
 "§ 116-40.14. Intrastate athletic competition.
     (a)      Purpose. – The purpose of this section is to ensure that eligible constituent institutions
 of The University of North Carolina regularly compete against one another in eligible sports.
     (b)      Definitions. – For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
              (1)     Eligible constituent institution. – A constituent institution of The University
                      of North Carolina that fields a high-level football team.
              (2)     Eligible sport. – All of the following:
                      a.       Football.
                      b.       Men's and women's basketball.
              (3)     High-enrollment institution. – An eligible constituent institution with a
                      full-time equivalent enrollment in the fall semester of the 2023-2024 academic
                      year of 30,000 or more undergraduate and graduate students.
              (4)     High-level football team. – A football team that competes in the Football Bowl
                      Subdivision (FBS) of Division I competition of the National Collegiate
                      Athletic Association or a successor grouping that represents the highest level
                      of football competition in the United States.
     (c)      Competition Required. – A high-enrollment institution shall do all of the following in
 each eligible sport:
              (1)     Every academic year, play at least one home or one away game against (i)
                      another high-enrollment institution and (ii) an eligible constituent institution
                      that is not a high-enrollment institution.
              (2)     Every six academic years, play at least one home and one away game against
                      each eligible constituent institution that is not a high-enrollment institution. A
                      high-enrollment institution shall alternate home and away games that are
                                   *DRH40567-MTa-207*
     General Assembly Of North Carolina                                                  Session 2023
                    scheduled against the same eligible constituent institution that is not a
                    high-enrollment institution."
             SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors
 of The University of North Carolina the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in nonrecurring
 funds for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to inform eligible constituent institutions and members of the
 public about the intrastate athletic competition required by G.S. 116-40.14, as enacted by this
 act.
             SECTION 3. Section 2 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2024. Except as
 otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the
 2025-2026 academic year.
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