Known for his folksy demeanor at the capitol,<ref name=nwa>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/04/19/news/041909arhendrenannounces.txt|title=Gravette's Hendren Announces Challenge for U.S. Senate Seat|publisher=NWAonline.net|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref> Hendren considers himself a fiscal conservative and voted against changing the Arkansas unemployment law to accept $59 million in federal stimulus money.<ref name=nwa/> He voted in February 2009 to support an increase in his state's tobacco tax.<ref name=nwa/> In 2008, he backed an increase in the severance tax on [[natural gas]].<ref name=hendren/> He has also authored a bill to require [[motorcycle|motorcyclists]] to wear helmets or demonstrate proof of [[health insurance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkansasnews.com/2009/02/23/helmet-bill-stalls-in-committee/|title=Doug Thompson, Stephens Media, "Motorcycle helmet, tarp bill stall in committee"|publisher=Arkansasnews.com|access date=May 18, 2009}}</ref> | Known for his folksy demeanor at the capitol,<ref name=nwa>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/04/19/news/041909arhendrenannounces.txt|title=Gravette's Hendren Announces Challenge for U.S. Senate Seat|publisher=NWAonline.net|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref> Hendren considers himself a fiscal conservative and voted against changing the Arkansas unemployment law to accept $59 million in federal stimulus money.<ref name=nwa/> He voted in February 2009 to support an increase in his state's tobacco tax.<ref name=nwa/> In 2008, he backed an increase in the severance tax on [[natural gas]].<ref name=hendren/> He has also authored a bill to require [[motorcycle|motorcyclists]] to wear helmets or demonstrate proof of [[health insurance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkansasnews.com/2009/02/23/helmet-bill-stalls-in-committee/|title=Doug Thompson, Stephens Media, "Motorcycle helmet, tarp bill stall in committee"|publisher=Arkansasnews.com|access date=May 18, 2009}}</ref> |