Nebraska proposal would make Election Day a state holiday

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker introduced a bill Tuesday that would declare Election Day a state holiday and automatically register eligible residents as voters when they renew their driver’s licenses.

The measure by Sen. Eliot Bostar, of Lincoln, follows a handful of states that have made it a holiday to help ensure that working people get a chance to vote.

The bill would also give residents the choice to decline to register when renewing their license. Current state law already allows residents to update their registrations when renewing their licenses, but the process isn’t automatic.

Lawmakers also introduced bills Tuesday to create local police oversight boards, repeal Nebraska’s motorcycle helmet law, legalize marijuana with certain limits and move the headquarters of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission from Lincoln to Sidney.