SALEM, OR -- Republican lawmakers introduced a package of bills to help strengthen state ethics laws, in light of recent troubles.  Governor Kitzahber was forced to resign because of growing ethics investigations involving him and fiancee Cylvia Hayes.  Representative Julie Parrish introduced the legislation to improve transparency in state government.  "I think the Governor should be able to say, my partner is going to be involved in this issue, but they can't make money and they have to register with the ethics commission.  And after that, there has to be a cooling off period.  If your goal is to get toothbrushes to all the pooor chidren in Oregon, you can't go to work for Crest the next day."

Other bills would increase the legislature's ability to ask the Attorney General to investigte the executive branch.  Currently, lawmakers do not have that power.