HB516 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg Burdine

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

April WeaverPaul W. LeeDan WilliamsLynn GreerWilliam RobertsTerri CollinsElaine BeechMary Sue McClurkinAlan BootheRon JohnsonBarry MooreWes LongRichard BaughnMark TuggleBill PooleMike JonesWayne JohnsonJim PattersonKen JohnsonDonnie ChesteenKurt WallaceMac ButtramBecky NordgrenRichard J. LairdCharles O. NewtonAllen TreadawayJack WilliamsGregory CanfieldMac McCutcheonRandy DavisTodd GreesonElwyn ThomasJeremy OdenSteve HurstLesley VanceAlan HarperJoe FaustChad FincherAlan BakerBlaine GalliherMicky HammonPhil WilliamsHoward SanderfordDuwayne BridgesBarry MaskSteve ClouseJim BartonRandy WoodJim McClendonMike Millican

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Health care providers, physicians, etc., requiring disclosure regarding firearm ownership, prohibited, medical record inclusion of firearm information or disclosure of information about firearm ownership, prohibited, civil penalties, exceptions

Summary

HB516 would prohibit health care providers from conditioning treatment on a patient’s firearm ownership disclosure and from recording or sharing firearm information, while imposing civil penalties for violations and allowing limited emergency exceptions.

What This Bill Does

The bill makes it illegal for health care providers to require disclosure of firearm ownership as a condition for care or to enter or disclose firearm information in medical records. It imposes civil fines for violations, with escalating amounts and a potential license suspension after multiple offenses, and it outlines how penalties are collected and challenged. It provides limited exceptions for emergency treatment and certain mental health situations, and it protects the privacy of a patient’s responses. Existing records created before the act and transfers to other providers are treated as not violating the prohibitions.

Who It Affects

• Health care providers (doctors, dentists, nurses, psychotherapists, social workers, etc.) who would face civil penalties and possible license suspension for conditioning treatment on firearm ownership disclosure or recording/disclosing firearm information.
• Patients and their families who are protected from being pressured to disclose firearm ownership and whose firearm-related information is restricted from being entered or disclosed, with privacy preserved except in limited emergency situations.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits conditioning medical treatment on a patient’s willingness to disclose firearm ownership or presence of a firearm in the home.
• Prohibits entering or disclosing information about firearm ownership in medical records or to any other source.
• Creates civil penalties for violations, starting at $250 for the first violation and escalating up to $1,500 for the fourth violation, with possible suspension of the provider’s license.
• Provides an appeals process and directs penalties to be collected by the enforcement boards and used to run the act.
• Establishes limited exceptions for emergencies, including mental health emergencies, where permissible inquiries may be made.
• Defines key terms (firearm, patient, medical practitioner, etc.) and states that records created before the act are not violations; effective date is three months after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Health Care