Sept. 7, 2007 (KABC-TV) - State lawmakers are taking steps to fight back against gang violence. A new bill passed Friday in the state Senate requires parents to be involved if their child commits a gang-related crime. The bill could be headed to the governor's desk next week.State lawmakers are taking steps to fight back against gang violence. A new bill passed Friday in the state Senate requires parents to be involved if their child commits a gang-related crime. The bill could be headed to the governor's desk next week.

"If you're involved with gangs, you have two things that happen -- you're going to get locked up or you're going to die," said Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia.

Assemblyman Mendoza knows what's it's like to be in the shoes of kids running in gangs during elementary and junior high school.

"Growing up in El Centro, it's kind of hard not hanging around the wrong crowd," said Mendoza.

After passage in the state Senate Friday, Mendoza's bill designed to get kids out of gangs could be headed to the Governor's desk next week. It would require the parents of kids who commit their first gang-related crimes to attend six-to-eight-week parenting classes, including meeting the victim's family.

"One of the parts to this program is to ensure the parents have face-to-face time with other families who have gone through the painful experience of losing a loved one to gang violence," said Mendoza.

It's unclear whether the Governor will sign the bill. But earlier this week he suggested he's open to solutions that involve more than just prison time for gang crimes.

"We can't arrest our way out of this problem," said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, R-California. "It is very important to acknowledge the fact that we need to do more than lock people up."

The state estimates there are 420,000 gang members roaming California neighborhoods.

Former U.S. Attorney Paul Seave is the state's newly appointed anti-gang czar. He has not seen Mendoza's bill, but he cites study-after-study that show the home can help solve many problems facing youth.

"To tackle the gang problem, if we're going to talk about prevention and intervention, that's where parents really come in," said Seave.

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