After hearing from more than 30 speakers during hours of debate, the Virginia Board of Health on Thursday approved sweeping changes to abortion-clinic regulations that abortion-rights groups say will close many of the state’s 22 clinics. Acting under a mandate from the Legislature, the board passed the new rules on a 12-1 vote. The emergency regulations, favored by pro-life advocates, give the state more control over facilities that provide five or more first-trimester abortions per month and requires those facilities to abide by regulations normally reserved for hospitals.
By the start of 2012, clinics would be required to renovate their buildings to comply with the same standards now applied to hospital surgery centers, including larger operating rooms and bigger parking lots. Women’s health advocates insist the new regulations are unduly burdensome and a roundabout attempt to close down the clinics.
“The sad fact is that the new regulations have no proven medical benefit to patients and, instead, will only serve to further limit patient access to abortion care as well as life-saving cancer screenings, birth control, and the wide range of preventive care provided at women’s reproductive health centers,” the Virginia Coalition to Protect Women’s Health said.
But pro-life groups said the changes will provide necessary oversight for the clinics and that the new rules won’t prevent the facilities from operating.
“They just have to make the decision to spend that money on these health and safety standards,” said Chris Freund, vice president of policy and communication for the Family Foundation of Virginia.
In some deference to abortion-rights groups, the board amended the regulations to require public health inspectors to identify themselves to gain entrance to a clinic and to allow clinic workers to redact the names of patients from any medical records seized.
Gov. Bob McDonnell will review the regulations before they go into effect Jan. 1. McDonnell spokesman Jeff Caldwell had no comment on whether the governor would make any changes, but Freund expects the pro-life Republican to give his approval. McDonnell appointed a majority of the Board of Health.
