LINCOLN — Nebraska football players and other student-athletes could get paid for endorsing or promoting products under a bill given final approval on Tuesday by the State Legislature.

Legislative Bill 962, or the "Fair Pay to Play Act," was introduced by Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, and was patterned after a California law passed last fall.

On a 35-6 vote, state senators sent the bill to Gov. Pete Ricketts for his approval or veto.

At least 20 other states have introduced similar laws — and two states have passed them — to allow college athletes to get a piece of the $14 billion college athletics industry. LB 962 was introduced amid a nationwide debate over whether college athletes should be paid.

The bill, if given final approval by the governor, wouldn’t go into effect until June 2023 to give colleges and athletes time to adjust. But Hunt has said that date could be moved up if regulations change on the federal or NCAA level.

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