Senate President Pro-Tem Brent Hill is also responding favorably to legislative Democrats' call today for bipartisan work on three new ethics reforms they've put forth: Financial disclosure, a one-year wait before former lawmakers or public officials could register as lobbyists, and a whistleblower hotline. Hill said he's already talked with his appointees to the bipartisan ethics working group, Sens. Dean Mortimer and Mitch Toryanski, about covering those topics in addition to the establishment of a new independent state ethics commission. "I think the working group ought to discuss those things, see if they can come up with suggestions," Hill said. "I think both parties are cooperating, and trying to come up with something that'd be helpful to the state."

He added, "I'd just encourage it - I think it's good."

Democrats announced their working group appointees: Reps. Phylis King and Cherie Buckner-Webb, and Sens. Michelle Stennett and Dan Schmidt. Denney said he'd named GOP Reps. Cliff Bayer and Brent Crane, but Crane wanted to check with his dad, state Treasurer Ron Crane, before committing; the state treasurer is currently involved in a potential ethics issue over his use of a state gas card. Denney said if Rep. Crane chooses not to serve, he's thinking of maybe tabbing Rep. Vito Barbieri.