BOSTON -- Amid an increase in youth violence, Massachusetts is now the most violent state in the northeast, according to the FBI.

NewsCenter 5's Steve Lacy reported that community leaders met on Thursday to look for ways to combat the trend.

"The proliferation of guns in my neighborhood and my community where I go to bed and hear gunshots -- I hear them. I don’t come into my community and talk about it. I live it," said Rep. Marie St. Fleur.

Lawmakers are calling for new legislation to crack down on the number of guns flooding the city's streets.

"Gun violence tears at the soul of our community," said the Rev. Jeffery Brown of the Ten-Point Coalition.

The proposed changes would make it illegal to fail to report a lost or stolen gun; it would create a state database to track the resale of guns in the secondary market; and when setting bail, judges would be allowed to consider whether a suspect was in possession of a gun at the time of their arrest.

"We also want to see police with better tools at their finger tips when investigating these crimes," said Sen. Jarrett Barrios.

The renewed call to crackdown on guns comes as the city struggles to combat a recent spike in violent crime.

But not everyone is sold on creating new gun laws saying there are enough restrictions on lawful gun ownership and greater enforcement of existing laws is needed. People who live in some of the city's hardest hit neighborhoods disagree, saying any law that can reduce the number of guns is welcomed.

"We need to be using all of our forces at every border that surrounds Massachusetts and stop this flow of guns and drugs in our communities," said Rep. Gloria Fox.

There have been 17 homicides so far in 2007. Thirteen of the victims were 25 or younger.