North Carolina House Bill H543

North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/26/25
• Refer: 3/27/25
• Report Pass: 6/10/25
• Refer: 6/10/25
• Report Pass: 6/17/25
• Refer: 6/17/25

Caption

Criminal Background Check For Athlete Agents

Summary

House Bill 543 requires criminal history record checks for people applying to register, or renew registration, as athlete agents in North Carolina. Applicants must consent to fingerprint-based checks conducted through the State Bureau of Investigation, and anyone who refuses consent must be denied registration. The Secretary of State is directed to collect the required fingerprints and consent forms, transmit them for state and national background checks, and keep the resulting information confidential. The bill also increases athlete agent registration and renewal fees from $200 to $250 for both initial and out-of-state-based applications, and it makes the applicant responsible for paying the cost of the background check and fingerprinting. The act applies to applications received on or after October 1, 2025. It also amends related Secretary of State criminal record check provisions to explicitly include athlete agent applicants alongside platform license applicants.

Impact

The bill amends Chapter 78C of the General Statutes governing athlete agents and updates related Secretary of State criminal record check authority in Chapter 143B. It creates a new statutory requirement that athlete agent applicants undergo criminal history screening as a condition of registration or renewal, and it authorizes the Secretary of State and SBI to exchange fingerprints and criminal history information for that purpose. The measure also raises registration and renewal fees, shifting additional costs to applicants, while preserving confidentiality protections for the background check information.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or recorded vote information was provided, so the bill’s reception cannot be measured from debate or roll call history. Based on the text, the bill appears to be framed as a regulatory and consumer-protection measure, with no explicit opposition or support documented in the available materials. The committee substitute favorable status suggests it advanced through committee in amended form.

Contention

The main policy issues likely involve the added screening requirement and the higher fees imposed on athlete agents. Supporters would likely view the criminal background check as a safeguard against misconduct in athlete representation, while critics could object to the increased cost, administrative burden, and potential barrier to entry for applicants. A secondary point is the confidentiality of criminal history information, which the bill protects by making it nonpublic and limiting its use to the Secretary of State.