Florida Bill 155

[DuvalCartoonist]

So I am gonna ramble a little bit.

The Florida Senate recently passed a bill which would prohibit doctors from making inquiries regarding the firearm ownership or possession of their patients.  Having already passed the FL House it is set to become law when Gov. Scott signs it.  

I am all for privacy.  And I am all for gun ownership.  I also definitely feel that doctors shouldn't be allowed to discriminate against patients based solely on gun ownership (this bill was originally proposed following an incident in which a Florida pediatrician told a mother to find another doctor when she refused to answer questions about guns in her home).

But for me the issue here is that government needs to STAY OUT of legislating what a doctor can or cant ask.  To me that is way beyond the scope of what government is for.  If a doctor asks you and you don't feel like answering then don't.  Or better yet, even before you choose a doctor interview her.  Ask her if she typically asks her patients about gun ownership if she says yes and that breaches your personal privacy point then end the interview right there and seek out another doctor.  


One of the sponsors of the bill is Florida Representative Jason Brodeur. On his own website he says that his "goal is to ensure next generation understand our nation’s founding principles by shaping public policy that reflects our constitutional framework of limited government."

What?  Limited government means we start telling doctors what they can't ask?  Clearly, he doesn't even know what limited government means.  It's a buzzword to him.

The doctors who are speaking out against it have got their attack all wrong. They argue that a law such as this would limit their ability to care for their patients.   That's not the point.  We could argue all day about whether or not a doctor asking a patient if he owned a gun would really make that patient more or less safe.  The issue is governing what doctors ask is not what government is about.  

Or maybe I've got it all wrong.  Who knows?

Anyway, I was able to catch a radio interview of Rep Brodeur the other day - satire and jest of course.

http://duvalcartooning.blogspot.com/2011/05/interview-with-jason-brodeur-all-about.html

Also, the excerpt below from the following: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=44993


GENERAL BILL   by Health & Human Services Committee and Criminal Justice Subcommittee and Brodeur (CO-SPONSORS) Ahern; Artiles; Baxley; Caldwell; Corcoran; McKeel; Nuñez; Pilon; Smith; Stargel; Trujillo; Van Zant

Privacy of Firearm Owners: Provides that licensed practitioner or facility may not record firearm ownership information in patient's medical record; provides exception; provides that unless information is relevant to patient's medical care or safety or safety of others, inquiries regarding firearm ownership or possession should not be made; provides exception for EMTS & paramedics; provides that patient may decline to provide information regarding ownership or possession of firearms; clarifies that physician's authority to choose patients is not altered; prohibits discrimination by licensed practitioners or facilities based solely on patient's firearm ownership or possession; prohibits harassment of patient regarding firearm ownership during examination; prohibits denial of insurance coverage, increased premiums, or other discrimination by insurance companies issuing policies on basis of insured's or applicant's ownership, possession, or storage of firearms or ammunition; clarifies that insurer is not prohibited from considering value of firearms or ammunition in setting personal property premiums; provides for disciplinary action.

Effective Date: upon becoming a law

Last Event: Ordered enrolled on Friday, April 29, 2011 4:43 PM

[Ocklawaha]

Boy do I agree! Hey Duval Cartoonist, how about a sketch of a baby sitting in the car seat holding a machine gun, (the car is packed with explosives) and the mom outside telling the doctor he can't ask her about the baby's safety...

OCKLAWAHA