Mike Reynolds wrote Three Strikes to crack down on repeat offenders after his daughter was murdered by a felon.  Now he says there’s a new generation of young, fearless gang members - and this measure is aimed at them:

“this deals more with the new kind of criminal that has found the loopholes and the tiny cracks in our criminal justice system and they’re driving a truck through it.”

The initiative would spend roughly 300 million a year – mostly on anti-gang efforts.  It increases penalties for felons who carry loaded or concealed firearms in public, and requires gang offenders to register with law enforcement. Reynolds is teaming up on the measure with G-O-P husband and wife lawmakers Sharon and George Runner.  They wrote Jessica’s law, which toughens penalties for sex offenders.  A spokesperson for the Senate Democratic leader says it’s ironic that a Republican Senator is adding to the state budget, when G-O-P lawmakers held up the budget this year to keep state spending down. 

 The supporters say they need roughly 600-thousand signatures to get the measure on next November’s ballot