South Carolina lawmakers are fast-tracking a bill to shield college athletes’ name, image, and likeness contracts from public disclosure under FOIA, moving toward floor consideration without a public hearing.

An amendment advanced by the Senate Education Committee would extend protection to revenue-sharing NIL payments, aligning with a House vote to keep NIL funds private and out of FOIA requests.

The bill aims to protect NIL contracts amid ongoing litigation, seeking to allow only aggregate disclosures rather than itemized breakdowns of individual athletes’ deals.

Supporters argue NIL data is primarily private funding and disclosure could harm recruitment and reveal donor funding, while opponents say public data is necessary for transparency and accountability.

Universities contend that NIL arrangements involve private funds, not state dollars, and exposing them could damage competitive balance and recruitment efforts.

Governor Henry McMaster has signaled a stance leaning toward transparency but has not committed to signing or vetoing the bill, with concerns about recruiting impact.

McMaster’s position remains noncommittal as lawmakers push the measure, aiming to balance privacy with transparency in NIL deals.

The push comes amid a public records lawsuit seeking NIL contract details; the bill seeks to clarify that revenue-sharing payments can be disclosed only in aggregate, potentially preempting litigation.

The proposed amendment would allow aggregate disclosure of NIL payouts while shielding individual contracts or specific allocations from public view.

House support previously passed a similar measure, and the Senate faces procedural hurdles that could affect timing and debate, with court proceedings ongoing about NIL access.

Some lawmakers argue NIL funds may become state funds once received by universities, raising questions about public-record exposure and the timing of disclosures.

Public comment was limited at the hearing due to expedited handling, though written statements from institutions like Coastal Carolina University supported striking a balance between transparency and privacy.