Morganelli Proposes Common Sense Approach to Gun Violence

John Morganelli may be a candidate for Congress, but he's also Pennsylvania's most senior District Attorney. He sees first hand what guns can do. The most recent mass shooting of students at a Florida has prompted him to once again propose the reintroduction of legislation he advocate back in the 1990s. It's part of a nine-step common sense agenda that he wants the law enforcement community to consider and advocate in Harrisburg and, if necessary, in Washington. He is also requesting that immediate steps be taken in Northampton County to reduce gun violence.

Morganellli's nine-step common sense plan to reduce gun violence.

1) Pass "The parents responsible Gun Ownership Act." - This would require gun owners to secure their firearms if they live with minors, violent criminals or the mentally ill. He noted that one of every three firearms is loaded and unsecured, and that most kids know where their parents keep their guns.

2) Ban Bump Stocks, which make it easy to turn a semi-automatic weapon into one that fires continuously.

3) Require background checks on all sales of long guns.

4) Ban assault weapons to general public.

5) Expand background checks to firearms sales at gun shows and online.

6) Ban firearms to anyone on a terror watch list.

7) Require that lost or stolen guns be reported.

8) Enter mental health records into national databases for background checks.

9) "Red Flag" laws that allow family members or police to petition judges to remove guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others.

"A majority of people want a balanced approach," he explained. "They want o know what can be done to make our schools and communities more secure; they want to know what can be done to assure that the mentally disturbed and children do not possess firearms; and they want to know what strategies can be employed to reduce death by gunfire. They also want to know that the law will punish criminals and those individuals who have demonstrated they are incapable of owning and operating firearms responsibly. And they want to know this can all be done without trampling in the Second Amendment."

In addition to consideration of this common-sense agenda, Morganelli is requesting the community to help in the following:

1) A law enforcement security review of every school, including emergency plans like active shooter drills.

2) A law enforcement identification and investigation of every school threat.

3) An appeal to parents and children to report all threats of violence.

4) An appeal to gun owners to secure firearms in homes.