Florida doctors decry 'Docs vs. Glocks'

MIAMI, July 14 (UPI) -- Thousands of doctors urged a federal judge in Miami to block a law barring them from asking patients about gun ownership.

The group, appearing Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke, decried the "self-censorship" imposed by the law, signed in June by Gov. Rick Scott, The Miami Herald reported.

Cooke asked the lawyers for details on their experience of the controversial measure, which has been called "Docs versus Glocks."

"What I need to determine, is the legislation itself an unconstitutional burden on speech?" Cooke asked doctors at the Wednesday hearing. "What can't you do now that you could do before?"

Douglas Hallward-Driemeier, an attorney for the doctors, said the state of Florida is "holding a sword above their heads."

"This is constitutionally impermissible," Hallward-Driemeier asserted.

Doctors complain they are unable to obtain complete information on health-screening questionnaires and face fines if doctor-patient conversations stray into questions about the health and safety of gun ownership.

But state lawyers argue such conversations are permitted when they are "relevant."

"This statute is carefully crafted so it doesn't interfere with the professional judgment of the practitioner," said Jason Vail, a lawyer with the state attorney general's office. "It's intended to provide the widest latitude possible to the medical practitioners."