MOSES LAKE - Thirteenth District lawmakers were overwhelmed with phone calls last week from residents wondering what the Legislature is doing to combat gang violence.

Reps. Matt Manweller and Judy Warnick said they were surprised by the amount of calls following the sheriff's office town hall at the Larson Housing area last week. During the meeting, county Prosecutor Angus Lee discussed bills he proposed to the two lawmakers, which they in turn sponsored at his request.

"I'm sad to say and disappointed to say the Legislature didn't even vote on the bills," Lee said.

Included in the bills, which never received a hearing in either the Public Safety or Judiciary committees, was legislation that would increase penalties for gang members who commit crimes with firearms, would add drive-by shootings to the list of most serious offenses, would add unlawful possession in the first-degree to most serious offenses, and would modify provisions to standard sentences for offenders being sentenced for a criminal street gang-related offense.

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