Virginia Board Of Health Passes Strictest Abortion Clinic Regulations In The Nation

[J.E.D]

More proof that the GOP is only supportive of private businesses that they approve of. More proof that the GOP just looooves regulations when they're levied against business that they disapprove of. More proof that the GOP is more interested in banning abortions than they are interested in the health of women. Hey, Virginia legislature, how about working on bringing jobs to your state, instead of subjecting abortion clinics to draconian rules and regulations that no other type of clinic in the state will have to abide by? Hopefully, a judge blocks this nonsense, like one did to Kansas' slightly more lenient abortion law.

Virginia Board Of Health Passes Strictest Abortion Clinic Regulations In The Nation

The Virginia Board of Health passed the most severe abortion clinic regulations in the nation on Thursday, which health advocates say could effectively close down all 22 abortion providers in the state.

The regulations, commissioned by the state legislature and written by the Virginia Department of Health, are largely unrelated to patient health and safety. They would treat abortion clinics as if they are hospitals if the clinics provide five or more first-trimester abortions a month and would enforce architectural design standards that will be almost impossible for most clinics to meet.

For instance, a clinic must have 5-foot-wide hallways, 8-foot-wide areas outside of procedure rooms, specific numbers of toilets and types of sinks and all of the latest requirements for air circulation flow and electrical wiring. Each clinic must also have a parking spot for every bed, despite the fact that first-trimester abortions don't require an overnight stay. Further, Department of Health employees will be allowed to enter an abortion facility at any time without notice or identification.

~snip~

Kansas passed slightly more lenient regulations earlier this year that would have shut down two out of three of the state's clinics, but they were challenged in court and promptly blocked by a judge.

One major unintended consequence of these regulations is that if Planned Parenthood clinics and other health clinics that provide abortions are forced to shut down, they will be taking all of their other services with them, such as affordable pap smears, breast exams and birth control for low-income men and women.

State Sen. Ryan McDougle (R), the sponsor of the bill who directed the health department to draft the regulations, said the purpose of the bill "is to make sure that all medical procedures are done in a safe manner." However, there are no other types of outpatient facilities that are being regulated as extensively as abortion providers, and according to the Virginia Department of Health, the first-trimester abortion procedure is already as safe as it possibly can be. Between 1999 and 2009, there was only one abortion-related death, compared with 11 deaths from pregnancy and childbirth in the year 2009 alone.

 

[ClosedCaption]

It's funny how they flip from "deregulate" to "regulate them yeah!"

 

[JoeB131]

Well, I think this is a little silly, but no more silly than the way liberals use Spotted Owls and Snail Darters to stop construction projects they don't like.

My own opinion. Abortion is bad and most women who have them don't have them for compelling reasons. That said, making them illegal, especially on a state level, is an impracticality. Prohibition didn't work. The war on drugs has been a horrific failure. Gun bans don't work. You can hire a hooker pretty easily these days. Illegality doesn't work if a large enough section of the population ignores the law with impunity.

And here's where I go really, uncharacteristicly non-right wing-

If Pro-Life people were really interested in reducing the number of abortions, then they'd support policies that resulted in less unwanted pregnancies or pregnancies women can't afford. They support more generous family and medical leave time. they'd support stronger sex education and more girl's sports teams and activities.

 

[Charles_Main]

there are no other types of outpatient facilities that are being regulated as extensively as abortion providers,

Oddly, they are also the only Out patient Providers killing Unborn Babies.

What, You want no Regulations on Abortions, but massive regulations on all other Business?

What you think Abortionist are non Profit?

lol

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Virginia Board Of Health Passes Strictest Abortion Clinic Regulations In The Nation

.....And, Florida (once, again), displays a lil'......

....Teabagger-patience.

"Pensacola Police Chief Chip Simmons said Monday that "to call it suspicious would be an understatement."