With the final approval of the House v. NCAA settlement on the horizon, Nebraska lawmakers are taking a bold stance to protect the rights and financial privacy of student-athletes. The newly introduced LB 370, spearheaded by State Sen. Megan Hunt, challenges a key provision of the $2.8 billion revenue-sharing framework by ensuring that athletes, their schools, agents, and NIL collectives are not required to disclose contract details to the NCAA or any affiliated entity.

At Saluja Law, we firmly support the principle that, except for public employees and public officials, no individual should be compelled to disclose their income. This extends to student-athletes who are simply exercising their right to earn fair compensation for their name, image, and likeness (NIL). LB 370 reinforces this fundamental right by preventing any "collegiate athletic association" from enforcing mandatory reporting requirements, a direct counter to the House settlement's independent clearinghouse, which seeks to review all NIL deals over $600.

Nebraska is not alone in this fight. Earlier this year, Oregon introduced House Bill 3694, which initially aimed to prevent the NCAA from mandating NIL contract disclosures. While the bill has since been amended, its original intent was clear: to assert state-level autonomy and push back against an increasingly centralized and restrictive college sports model.

The NCAA has framed the House settlement as a necessary step toward structure and legitimacy in the NIL era. However, these state-level measures highlight a growing resistance to the NCAA's overreach. The reality is that NIL deals are private agreements, and attempts to impose universal disclosure requirements infringe on personal financial privacy and create unnecessary compliance burdens for athletes and institutions alike.

LB 370 and similar legislation represent more than just procedural challenges to the NCAA's governance; they are an assertion of athletes' economic rights and a rejection of arbitrary oversight. The pushback against NCAA-mandated disclosures signals that states are unwilling to cede control over how their schools and athletes engage with the evolving NIL landscape.

At Saluja Law, we believe in advocating for fairness, privacy, and the economic empowerment of student-athletes. Nebraska's efforts set a powerful precedent, reinforcing that no governing body—whether the NCAA, a federal entity, or a private clearinghouse—should have unchecked authority over an athlete's financial dealings. This debate is not just about NIL oversight; it's about ensuring that student-athletes receive the same financial protections as any other private citizen.

As states like Nebraska and Oregon continue to challenge the NCAA's authority, one thing is clear: the fight for athlete rights is far from over, and we stand in full support of measures that prioritize fairness, autonomy, and financial privacy in college athletics.