Bill
HB 688
Creates a dedicated $100,000/year grant pot within the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to fund small inclusive playground projects with a 20% local match.
Status: Passed 1st Reading (House) — Effective date in bill: July 1, 2025 (if enacted)
Summary
HB 688 creates a continuing, dedicated annual appropriation to the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PRTF) to support inclusive playgrounds and the adaptation of park facilities for persons with disabilities. The bill adds a new subsection to G.S. 143B-135.56 directing recurring State funding to small grants for local governments, public school units, and public authorities to build or adapt recreational facilities that meet the needs of people with disabilities.
Purpose and intent
- Address an identified need for accessible and adapted park and playground facilities so persons with disabilities can participate in recreation and sports.
- Establish a reliably funded, statewide program to support local projects focused on inclusion and accessibility.
Key provisions
- Continuing annual appropriation: $100,000 is appropriated from the General Fund to the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund each fiscal year for inclusive playground grants.
- Eligible recipients: local governmental units, public school units, or public authorities as defined in G.S. 159-7.
- Grant limits and match:
- Individual grants may not exceed $5,000.
- Each grant recipient must provide matching local funds of $1 for every $5 of State funds (i.e., 20% local match).
- Separate allocation: Funds for inclusive parks (subsection (h)) are awarded separately and do not count toward the PRTF’s 30% cap for local matching grants under existing law.
- Existing PRTF structure retained: The bill does not change the PRTF’s general allocation scheme (65% state parks, 30% local match grants, 5% coastal access), administrative expense limits, or other reporting provisions — it simply creates a dedicated pot within the Trust Fund for inclusive facilities.
- Effective date: Section becomes effective July 1, 2025.
Who is affected
- Persons with disabilities and their families: increased opportunities for accessible recreation.
- Local governments, public schools, and eligible public authorities: new grant funding source for small accessibility projects and adaptations.
- North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority: administers PRTF allocations and will award these grants (program administration remains under existing Authority procedures).
Potential fiscal and programmatic impact
- Annual funding is modest ($100,000/year) and targeted to small projects: at the $5,000 grant cap, up to roughly 20 grants per year (fewer if grants are smaller or used for matching).
- The 1:5 matching requirement reduces State share but could limit eligibility for jurisdictions with constrained local funds.
- Because the appropriation is continuing and separate from the 30% local match pool, it provides a predictable, dedicated source for small-scale inclusive improvements across the State.
Key statutory references
- Amends G.S. 143B-135.56 (Parks and Recreation Trust Fund)
- Eligible applicant definition refers to G.S. 159-7 for “public authorities”
Notes
- The bill is narrowly focused on providing a recurring, small-grant program to advance inclusive recreation; it does not create a new grant program outside the PRTF nor change general PRTF allocations beyond adding the separate inclusive-playground appropriation.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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