Senate Bill 657, titled the Keeping Our Coaches Act, would redirect a portion of North Carolina sports betting tax revenue to fund salary supplements for public school athletic coaches. The bill amends the state’s sports wagering tax distribution statute to set aside $11 million annually for the Department of Public Instruction, which would then distribute the funds to eligible public school units. The goal is to ensure that each eligible athletic coach receives at least $3,000 per year in total salary supplements from state and non-state funds.
The bill also establishes conditions for participation. A public school unit must report its prior-year non-state coach supplement funding to DPI, and if a unit already provided non-state funds, it must continue to do so at least at the prior level. The measure prohibits a school unit from receiving state funds in a subsequent year if it supplants existing non-state coach supplement funding with state money. Any unspent funds from the annual allocation would go to the North Carolina Alliance of YMCAs, Inc. for youth sports programming. The act would take effect July 1, 2025, and apply beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
Impact
This bill would amend G.S. 105-113.128, the statute governing the use of sports betting tax proceeds, by adding a new priority distribution for public school athletic coach supplements. It would create a recurring state funding stream for coach pay supplements, alter the allocation of net sports wagering tax revenues, and impose reporting and maintenance-of-effort requirements on public school units that receive the money. It would also create a fallback use for unspent funds in support of youth sports through the North Carolina Alliance of YMCAs, Inc.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the apparent sentiment is supportive and policy-driven, with the bill framed as a way to use gambling tax revenue to strengthen school athletics. The title and structure suggest a positive emphasis on retaining and compensating coaches, and there is no evidence in the supplied record of formal opposition or amendments. Because no transcripts or votes are available, broader legislative sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s sponsorship and purpose.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the use of sports betting tax revenue for coach salary supplements rather than other state priorities, since the bill diverts $11 million annually from the existing distribution structure. Another likely issue is the maintenance-of-effort requirement, which obligates school units to keep contributing non-State funds and penalizes supplanting, potentially raising concerns about local flexibility and administrative compliance. Some stakeholders may also question whether the funding formula fairly reaches all eligible coaches or whether the fallback allocation to YMCA youth sports is the best use of any leftover funds.