An early vote that would allow college athletes to be paid for their name, likeness and image outside of their sport was advanced to the next stage by Nebraska legislators on Tuesday.

The bill known as the Nebraska Fair Pay to Play Act (LB962), sponsored by Omaha senator Megan Hunt, passed its first vote by a count of 36-4.

The bill reads similar to other bills introduced around the country, and the topic gained significant attention when California lawmakers passed it last fall while the likes of LeBron James weighed in with strong opinions of support.

Among the noteworthy portions of the bill being discussed in Nebraska:

— Institutions cannot prevent an athlete from participating in an intercollegiate sport because that athlete earns compensation for their name, image, or likeness rights or athletic reputation.

— No collegiate athletic association can penalize or prevent a student-athlete from fully participating in an intercollegiate sport because they earn compensation for their name, image, or likeness rights or athletic reputation.

— No collegiate athletic association can penalize a University or prevent an institution from fully participating in an intercollegiate sport because a student-athlete earns compensation for the use of such student-athlete’s name, image, or likeness rights or athletic reputation.

— An institution cannot allow compensation earned to affect the duration, amount, or eligibility for or renewal of any athletic grant-in-aid or other institutional scholarship.

— Any athlete who enters into a contract to benefit from their name, image, likeness rights or athletic reputation must notify their academic institution.

— An athlete shall not enter into a contract that requires student-athlete to display a sponsor's apparel or to otherwise advertise for the sponsor during official team activities and compliance with such contract requirement would conflict with a team contract.

The act would go into effect on July 1, 2023.

It is similar to those bills written by other states, and does not force schools to pay athletes. But the drumbeat of bills allowing college athletes to benefit from their name and likeness has forced the NCAA to consider its response.

According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers said on Tuesday, "This is a recruitment tool. If other schools allowed their athletes to do this, and UNL does not, then the players are not going to come here. They will go to school where they can receive some compensation for the misuse or use of their name."

Hunt has noted the bill provides athletes the same freedom that non-athletes have: to make money from local companies while still attending classes.

Those against have worried about the unintended consequences they feel may come with the change, with the thought amateurism will be lost for good in the process.

When a similar bill was signed by the California governor last year, the Pac-12 brass responded by saying, "This legislation will lead to the professionalization of college sports and many unintended consequences related to this professionalism, imposes a state law that conflicts with national rules, will blur the lines for how California universities recruit student-athletes and compete nationally, and will likely reduce resources and opportunities for student-athletes in Olympic sports and have a negative disparate impact on female student-athletes."