| 13 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 |
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| 14 | 14 | | AN ACT TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY FOR A 2 |
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| 15 | 15 | | PILOT PROGRAM IN WAKE COUNTY TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN THE GAME 3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | OF PICKLEBALL. 4 |
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| 17 | 17 | | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors 6 |
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| 19 | 19 | | of The University of North Carolina the nonrecurring sum of ten thousand one hundred twelve 7 |
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| 20 | 20 | | dollars ($10,112) for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to be allocated to the Department of Parks, 8 |
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| 21 | 21 | | Recreation and Tourism Management in the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State 9 |
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| 22 | 22 | | University for a pilot program located in Wake County seeking to enhance diversity in the sport 10 |
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| 23 | 23 | | of pickleball. Pickleball provides important public health benefits. In older adults, pickleball has 11 |
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| 24 | 24 | | been found to help participants meet (or exceed) CDC requirements for physical activity, increase 12 |
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| 25 | 25 | | social and community connections, and contribute to psychological well-being. The sport also 13 |
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| 26 | 26 | | has the capacity to help all ages with intergenerational connections, enhance critical thinking, 14 |
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| 27 | 27 | | and facilitate social collaboration. Currently the sport is underrepresented by people of color 15 |
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| 28 | 28 | | despite it having the capacity to be multicultural and socioeconomically inclusive since it has a 16 |
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| 29 | 29 | | low cost of entry, high ease of play, and is offered through public recreational facilities. The pilot 17 |
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| 30 | 30 | | program shall consist of the following: (i) at least two focus groups with people of color to gain 18 |
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| 31 | 31 | | insight into how to best create and promote a program aimed to increase diversity among 19 |
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| 32 | 32 | | pickleball participants; (ii) creation of a branded program, including name, logo, and physical 20 |
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| 33 | 33 | | and digital marketing materials; (iii) marketing of the program, in coordination with community 21 |
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| 34 | 34 | | partners, using websites, social media, direct email, event days, and demonstrations; (iv) a 22 |
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| 35 | 35 | | four-week session held both in the fall of 2025 and the spring of 2026 at Method Road and Chavis 23 |
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| 36 | 36 | | recreation centers in Raleigh; and (v) post-program evaluation and creation of a toolkit that can 24 |
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| 37 | 37 | | be used to implement similar programs for parks and recreation departments and other 25 |
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| 38 | 38 | | community organizations across NC. Funds appropriated in this section do not revert but remain 26 |
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| 39 | 39 | | available to the Department for the purposes provided herein. 27 |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 28 |
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