While the governor has been busy berating Arkansas, one state lawmaker is setting the process in motion to plug a hole in our state's criminal justice system.

The question of why the man accused of killing four Lakewood police officers was given bail in the face of his staggering criminal history is the motive behind a proposal to keep something like that from happening again.

State Rep. Mike Hope is pushing for an amendment to the state constitution that says if someone's charged with a crime that could put them in prison for life under the state's three-strike law, they wouldn't be eligible for bail.

So far more than 30 other state lawmakers have signed on to Hope's legislation, which could be pre-filed any time before the regular legislative session begins next month.

That it took the death of four police officers to finally force this kind of review speaks to the overall lack of focused attention on problems with laws that often leave the criminal justice system handcuffed when it comes to protecting society.

Rep. Hope's proposal should get a quick hearing from the House public safety committee.

And we'll all need to keep an eye out for those who want to drag their legislative feet on this issue.

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