Legislators from both the Republican and Democratic parties on Monday announced a gaggle of measures they hope to enact into state law to bolster ethics reform at the State Capitol.

In a 25-minute press conference at the Old Supreme Court Room, Senate President Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Sulphur Springs, told reporters that he and House Speaker Rep. Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, had been working together for weeks to look at pragmatic ways to address corruption among public officials.

“This is a continuation of the effort that the Speaker and I have been working on since the beginning of the session to take some steps to restore trust in the legislative branch. Not just the [legislature] but the entire political process in Arkansas,” said Hendren, who was surrounded by 10 House and Senate members from both major parties.    MORE