The appellants appeal from the judgments and sentences which the district court entered after it denied their motions to dismiss. We agree that the appellants did not raise this issue with the district court. We believe, however, that this issue will present itself again in the near future and have, therefore, decided to consider it in the interest of judicial economy. We endeavor to interpret statutes in accordance with the legislature's intent. We construe the statute as a whole, giving effect to every word, clause, and sentence, and we construe together all parts of the statute in pari materia so that no part will be inoperative or superfluous.
Courts determine as a matter of law whether a statute is clear or ambiguous.
If we determine that the statute is clear and unambiguous, we give effect to the plain language of the statute. It does not, as the appellants suggest, create a new offense. The district court, therefore, did not err when it denied the appellants' motions to dismiss.