This bill, the Youth Sports Facilities Act of 2025, would change section 201 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965. It inserts the words "youth sports" into a list of eligible public service projects and adds "youth sports facilities" to a list of eligible facilities. The bill also adds new criteria (numbered 9–13) saying projects should: address sedentary lifestyles and obesity by improving access to recreational space; benefit highly rural communities with limited tax revenue; primarily serve children from low-income, rural, or underserved communities who lack access to indoor or outdoor physical education and sports facilities and who live or attend school in areas with high opioid use or community violence; support youth sports to spur economic development in places lacking facilities; and promote job creation through facilities and nearby businesses. The bill was introduced in the House on April 10, 2025, and referred to a subcommittee.
If your community or organization builds or improves youth sports facilities, those projects could become eligible for economic development grants under section 201, provided they meet the new criteria in the bill. The bill targets projects that increase access to recreation for children in low-income, rural, or underserved areas and communities affected by opioid use or violence. No publicly available information on how many grants would be offered, who would receive them, or any application deadlines is included in the provided text.
The bill changes which projects are eligible for existing grants but does not include any dollar amounts, funding formulas, or new spending levels in the provided text. No publicly available information on funding amounts, budgetary impact, or cost estimates is included in the provided material.
The bill text frames the changes as a way to improve access to recreational space for children, address health harms from sedentary lifestyles and obesity, help rural and low-tax communities build needed facilities, reach children in underserved or high-risk areas, spur local economic development, and create jobs linked to youth sports facilities and nearby businesses.
No publicly available information on opposition, objections, or alternative views is included in the provided bill text or metadata.