Governor Chris Gregoire signed 19 bills into law Wednesday, making some major changes in the way Washington state deals with criminals.

Not all of those bills had to do with law enforcement, but several were aimed at changing laws that some say could have helped prevent the ambush and murders of four Lakewood police officers last November.

“We promised we would support them and all our men and women in uniform,” Gregoire said.

Among the bills is a measure to raise the penalty for first-degree rendering criminal assistance, which many of Maurice Clemmons’ alleged accomplices are charged with.

Clemmons ambushed and killed the four Lakewood police officers while they were at a Parkland coffee shop.

Prior to the bill, those charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance only faced five years in prison.

“Rendering criminal assistance in the first-degree is changed from a class C to a class B felony, which raises the statutory minimum to 10 years in prison,” Gregoire said.

Gregoire also signed bills that would deny booking bail to newly arrested felons without them appearing before a judge first. She also signed a measure to improve and strengthen the monitoring of felons on parole and probation who move to Washington from out of state.

Changes to the state's bail laws have to be approved by voters first because the right to bail, except in death penalty cases, is protected under Washington state's constitution. A measure on this November's election will allow voters to amend the constitution to include defendants who face life sentences and pose a danger to the public.

“We know that when we walk out of here today, what we did makes a difference and our communities are safer because of the actions of the governor and the members of our legislature,” said Don Pierce of Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

One of the bills the governor signed was named in honor of former Seattle Police Officer Jason McKissack.

McKissack suffered serious brain injuries breaking up a fight on duty nearly two years ago, but when the city ended his employment, it also ended his health insurance.

The act restores his medical coverage and makes sure what happened to him does not happen to any other public safety employee.