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        |  | 
      
        |  | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | 
      
        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | relating to prohibiting certain physician questions regarding | 
      
        |  | firearms. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 164, Occupations Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended by adding Section 164.0525 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | Sec. 164.0525.  INQUIRY INTO GUN OWNERSHIP PROHIBITED.  (a) | 
      
        |  | In this section, "patient" has the meaning provided by Section | 
      
        |  | 159.001. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A physician, other than a psychiatrist, may not: | 
      
        |  | (1)  inquire into, or ask a patient to disclose, | 
      
        |  | whether a firearm is located or stored on property owned by or under | 
      
        |  | the patient's control, including the patient's home; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  require that information described by Subdivision | 
      
        |  | (1) be disclosed before providing treatment to the patient. | 
      
        |  | (c)  The board may take disciplinary action against a | 
      
        |  | physician who violates Subsection (b). | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  Section 164.0525, Occupations Code, as added by | 
      
        |  | this Act, applies only to conduct that occurs on or after the | 
      
        |  | effective date of this Act. Conduct that occurs before the | 
      
        |  | effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the | 
      
        |  | date the conduct occurred, and the former law is continued in effect | 
      
        |  | for that purpose. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |