LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker from Gretna has been chosen as one of two state legislators in the nation to serve on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

Sen. John Murante, a Republican, will serve on the national commission along with Mississippi state Sen. David Blount, a Democrat.

The independent, bipartisan commission was created as part of the Help America Vote Act, which made sweeping reforms to the nation’s voting process. The law requires that the commission test and certify voting equipment, conduct research and provide a national clearinghouse of information for voters.

Murante is the chairman of the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, and much of his work has focused on voting and election issues.