A Wisconsin lawmaker has proposed a bill that would ban physicians in the state from asking patients if they own guns, according to a Star Tribune report.
Under Rep. Michael Schraa's (R) proposal, physicians who violate the ban and ask patients about gun ownership could face a fine of up to $25,000 or nine months in prison, according to the report.
Several healthcare organizations have sent a memo to lawmakers, emphasizing their opposition to the bill and its potential interference with the physician-patient relationship.
American Family Children's Hospital in Shorewood Hills, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative in Sauk City, and Madison-based Dean Clinic, UW Hospital and UW School of Medicine and Public Health have said physicians' ability to discuss firearm safety with patients would be jeopardized under the legislation.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reported that nine states introduced similar bills in the past few years, but none were enacted, according to the Star Tribune. Florida passed a similar law in 2011, but it was later blocked by a federal judge.
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