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Nebraska Bill to Allow 24/7 Liquor Sales Draws Opposition

liquor-salesLINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill to eliminate bar closing times in Nebraska is drawing stiff opposition from cities as well as advocates who fight against drunken driving and binge drinking.

No one testified in favor of the bill Monday during a hearing of the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee. Opponents included the city of Lincoln, the League of Nebraska Municipalities and Project Extra Mile, which works to stop underage drinking.

Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill says he introduced the bill so businesses could decide for themselves.

Nebraska imposes a 1 a.m. closing time for bars, but gives local governments the option to extend theirs to 2 a.m. with a supermajority vote of a city council, village board or county board. Omaha and Lincoln have allowed bars to close at 2 a.m. since 2010.

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