Federal Appeals Court Overturns Florida Law Preventing Physicians From Discussing Gun Safety

On February 16, 2017, a federal appeals court said Florida physicians could discuss gun safety with consumers during office visits without risk of losing their medical licenses. The appeals court ruling overturned Florida’s “gun gag” law adopted in 2011, which prohibited physicians from asking whether guns were in the home and about the consumer’s gun safety practices. Physicians who violated the law could lose their medical licenses. The appeals court said the law violated physicians’ free speech rights under the First Amendment.

The complaint, Wallschlaeger, et al., v. Governor, State of Florida, was filed in the U.S . . .