LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska state lawmaker has delivered on his promise to introduce new voter identification bills.

Sen. John Murante of Gretna submitted three measures Wednesday he said were needed to address potential voter fraud. Critics have blasted such measures as an effort to disenfranchise Democratic-leaning voters.

One measure would require officials to check voter records for dead people and confirm the citizenship status of all registered voters.

Another would permit the use of electronic books that poll workers could use to identify voters. The third would require voters to show a government-issued identification at the polls.

Murante says 97 percent of registered voters have a form of identification that qualifies, and those who don’t could get one from the secretary of state’s office.

Murante is a Republican candidate for state treasurer.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed portions of a lawsuit that says Nebraska’s overcrowded prisons give inadequate health care, overuse solitary confinement and discriminate against disabled inmates.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska filed the lawsuit in August on behalf of disabled inmates against the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, the State Board of Parole and leaders in those agencies. The lawsuit alleges that the parole board’s evaluation of prisoners at parole hearings disproportionately screens out inmates with disabilities and that the board lacks a policy for providing disabled inmates services.

The state filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in November, arguing that the 11 inmates named in the suit lacked legal standing and hadn’t incurred injuries.

“Being denied parole due to criteria that improperly discriminate against those with disabilities would be an actual injury,” said U.S. District Judge Robert Rossiter.

Rossiter on Tuesday ruled that while the lawsuit can move forward, the state agencies can’t be sued directly. Claims alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act will move forward, as will civil-rights claims against prisons director Scott Frakes, parole administrator Julie Micek and the prisons director of health services Harbans Deol.

“This is a complete victory for us. All of our claims survive, all of our claims go forward,” said David Fathi, who directs the ACLU’s national effort to ensure civil rights of prison inmates.

However, the state doesn’t view the decision as a loss.

“We appreciate the court’s partial dismissal of this lawsuit and look forward to defending the remainder of this case,” Attorney General Doug Peterson said in an emailed statement.

The ACLU of Nebraska said it hopes to work with officials to improve prison conditions and avoid going to trial.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska lawmakers voiced concerns Wednesday that the state will fail to meet a mandatory deadline to reduce its prison population by July 2020, forcing officials to consider paroling all eligible inmates.

Senators expressed their doubts at a hearing on bills that would force the Department of Correctional Services to act faster or develop a contingency plan.

“We need to get out of the box and think more aggressively about solving the problems we have in front of us regarding corrections,” said Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha.

Nebraska’s corrections department has until July 1, 2020, to lower its inmate population to 140 percent of what all of its facilities were designed to hold. If the department falls short of that target, the prisons will fall into an automatic “overcrowding emergency” that forces state officials to consider paroling all eligible prisoners right away.

Lawmakers imposed the requirement in 2015 as part of a package that was intended to reduce the prison population, but the legislation hasn’t yet produced the desired result. The prisons housed roughly 5,200 inmates earlier this month in facilities that were designed to hold 3,375, placing the population at roughly 154 percent of its designed capacity.

In 2014, when state officials were developing the plan to relieve crowding, Nebraska’s prisons housed 5,130 inmates in facilities that were designed to hold 3,275 — roughly 157 percent of the design capacity.

“At the current rate we’re going, it doesn’t seem we’re going to be under 140 percent” when the deadline hits, said Crete Sen. Laura Ebke, chairwoman of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.

Krist, who is running for governor, presented the committee with a bill that would move the July 2020 deadline up to July 1 of this year. He acknowledged that the new proposed deadline is “almost insane,” but said it was intended to force a conversation on how to release more prisoners without compromising public safety.

“The point I’m making here is, ‘When does the action start?'” he said.

Members of the Judiciary Committee considered three other measures Wednesday that seek to ease prison crowding. One would allow the release of inmates who are terminally ill or incapacitated, one would allow inmates out of prison temporarily to access drug treatment and rehabilitation programs, and one would require the corrections department to develop a plan in case it fails to meet the July 2020 deadline.

Lawmakers could also consider setting yearly goals to decrease the prison population gradually while keeping the department accountable, said Spike Eickholt, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska.

Nebraska Corrections Director Scott Frakes said his agency is working to set up more prisoners for parole, but faces several challenges.

About 60 percent of inmates who are parole eligible are serving time for a violent crime, Frakes said. Roughly half have previously served time behind bars, raising questions about whether they’ll reoffend, and one-third have previously had their parole revoked or rescinded.

“This makes it even more important to stay committed to the original date of 2020,” he said.

Frakes has previously said he was optimistic the department would reduce its inmate population in time, and on Wednesday he said he hasn’t given up hope.

Board of Parole Chairwoman Rosalyn Cotton said many parole-eligible inmates remain behind bars for good reason. Some are still public safety threats, some are denied because victims don’t want them released, and some don’t want to be paroled because they face deportation, she said.

“All (the bill) would do is replace an overcrowding emergency with a public safety emergency,” she said.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Latest on the announcement that TransCanada Corp. will proceed with its plans for the Keystone XL pipeline (all times local):

10:55 a.m.

The Keystone XL pipeline still faces an uncertain future in Nebraska despite the developer’s announcement that it will proceed with the project.

TransCanada Corp.’s decision follows a 3-2 vote by the Nebraska Public Service Commission to approve a pipeline route through the state, but not the one the company preferred. The company said after the decision it needed time to evaluate the decision and line up potential customers.

Pipeline opponents note that the company’s announcement that it has secured enough contracts to ship 500,000 barrels of oil a day is far below the pipeline’s capacity. The pipeline was first proposed to ship 830,000 barrels a day.

Jane Kleeb, founder of the anti-pipeline group Bold Nebraska, says she doesn’t believe the pipeline will ever be built. Opponents have filed a lawsuit challenging the commission’s decision.

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9:04 a.m.

The developer of the Keystone XL pipeline says it is moving forward with its plans and hopes to begin construction next year.

TransCanada Corp. said Thursday that its decision builds on the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s decision to approve a route through the state on Nov. 20.

The company based in Calgary, Canada, says it has secured enough long-term commitments from oil companies to ship approximately 500,000 barrels per day through the pipeline.

The project faces opposition from environmental groups, property owners along the route and Native American tribes, who view it as a threat to groundwater and property rights.

The Nebraska commission’s vote to approve a route through the state removed one of the last regulatory obstacles for the project, although it still could face years of court challenges.