House Bill 2414, which would create a criminal street gang activity nuisance law, was made eligible today by the Senate Rules Committee for a vote by the full Senate. The measure’s chief supporter in the upper chamber of the Legislature, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, said such a law would give law-abiding citizens another tool to help combat gang activity in their neighborhoods.

“We’ve been fighting the expanding gang presence in our district for some time now, and this bill will make it easier for private individuals to take action,” King said. “We need all the help we can get to combat this scourge and this bill will certainly do that.”

Under HB 2414 a building or unit within a building that is used for the purpose of aiding, promoting or conducting criminal street gang activity can be considered a nuisance. Any person, who resides, works in or owns property in the same multi-family building, apartment complex or within a one-block radius of the alleged nuisance may bring a nuisance abatement action by filing a complaint in superior court.

“This is a vital piece of legislation we were able to move out of the Rules Committee and I appreciate Norm Johnson’s efforts to get this bill to us,” said King, who serves on the rules committee. Johnson, R-Yakima, is one of the district’s two representatives. “We are going to do all we can to see that this bill is brought before the Senate for a vote as quickly as possible.”

HB 2414 passed the House of Representatives 90-6 on Feb. 12.