House Bill 469, the "Restoring Rivalries Act," would require certain high-enrollment constituent institutions of the University of North Carolina system to play each other regularly in specified sports. The bill applies only to North Carolina State University at Raleigh and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and it covers football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, and softball.
Under the bill, each academic year these institutions would have to schedule at least one home or away game against each other in football and both basketball programs, and at least a three-game home or away series in baseball and softball. The stated purpose is to preserve traditional intrastate rivalries and ensure regular competition despite conference realignment and other external pressures on scheduling.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to Chapter 116 of the North Carolina General Statutes, creating a state-law scheduling mandate for two UNC constituent institutions. It would directly affect the athletic departments of NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill by limiting scheduling discretion in the covered sports and requiring annual head-to-head contests beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year. The measure does not create a funding program, but it could influence athletics revenue, travel, broadcast interest, and broader conference scheduling arrangements.
Sentiment
The bill’s tone and stated findings are strongly supportive of preserving in-state rivalries and college sports traditions. The text frames the measure as a response to conference realignment and emphasizes cultural, economic, and fan-engagement benefits. No committee transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no recorded legislative debate or formal vote history to indicate broader support or opposition beyond the bill’s pro-rivalry framing.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the state’s decision to intervene in university athletics scheduling, especially for institutions that normally manage their own nonconference and series arrangements. Potential concerns include reduced flexibility for athletic directors, conflicts with conference obligations, competitive balance, and whether the General Assembly should mandate specific games between two public universities. Supporters would likely emphasize tradition, rivalry preservation, and economic benefits for the state and local communities.
Restoring Trade Fairness ActThis bill establishes various trade measures related to China, including by revoking China's permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status and increasing the rates of duty (i.e., tariffs) on Chinese imported goods. The bill prohibits imported goods originating from North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran from receiving de minimis treatment. (Current law allows for U.S. imports under a de minimis threshold of $800 per shipment to enter free of tariffs, fees, and taxes.)Specifically, the bill revokes China's PNTR status. Currently, China's PNTR status allows for Chinese goods to have duty rates set forth in column 1 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS). With the removal of China's PNTR status, the bill generally sets the applicable duty rates on imported Chinese goods at the higher rates listed in column 2 of the HTS, with exceptions.The bill establishes a minimum duty rate of 35% for all Chinese goods, which requires column 2 rates to be at least 35%. However, the bill establishes a minimum duty rate of 100% for a list of specified goods (e.g., various minerals, certain vaccines and drugs, and certain defense-related articles). Duty rates are phased in over five years and adjusted annually for inflation.The bill alsoauthorizes the President to take additional actions related to trade with China, requires merchandise imported from China to be appraised based on U.S. value, and establishes a trust fund to compensate U.S. producers for lost revenue resulting from retaliatory actions by China.