John Morganelli may be a candidate for Congress, but he’s also Pennsylvania’s most senior district attorney. He sees firsthand what guns can do.

The most recent mass shooting of students at a Florida high school has prompted him to once again propose legislation he originally advocated back in the 1990s. It’s part of a nine-step 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.

Morganelli, chief prosecutor in a county that has experienced three standoffs involving firearms in recent weeks, said death by gunfire is the “number one” public safety issue facing local communities. But it’s also a polarizing topic.

“Liberals tend to want to ban all guns and portray their owners as rednecks who do not seem to care that criminals can get their hands on firepower,” said Morganelli during a news conference late last week. “At the other extreme, an entrenched gun lobby appears to believe that any regulations on guns are a threat to their constitutional rights.”

He’s calling for a common-sense approach to a serious problem.

“A majority of people want a balanced approach,” he explained. “They want to 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.”

He argued that enforcement of existing laws has been inadequate, and that guns still fall into the hands of children, the mentally ill and criminals.

He noted that the DA’s Association, Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement groups are well suited to discuss this proposal and lobby Harrisburg for meaningful legislation.

He is particularly concerned that guns be secured in homes with children or mentally ill residents. He observed that of over 1,200 Pa. firearm injuries in 2014, nearly half of the victims were under the age of 25.

He went on to say that weapons like an AR-15, an assault-style weapon, exist for only one reason - mass murder. They provide no legitimate sporting, hunting or general self-defense purpose that other firearms are unable to provide. “We need a ban on the sale of assault/military style weapons to the general public,” he said.

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.