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September 20, 2012

Virginia Regulations Could Shutter Abortion Clinics 
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Abortion clinics in Virginia are facing a major setback after the
state’s board of health reversed an earlier decision that exempted
them from stringent building codes. The regulations in question are akin
to those imposed on hospitals, governing everything from the size of the
janitors' closets to the width of hallways. Some Virginia clinics say
the rules may force their closure due to the costs of remodeling. The
board’s reversal follows what critics call bullying by the state’s
attorney general, who rejected a decision in June exempting existing
clinics from the rules and said the board had overstepped its authority.
Ken Cuccinelli had told board members they could not exempt clinics and
warned them they would be personally liable for legal fees if they were
sued after rejecting his advice. The Virginia law is part of a
nationwide wave of so-called Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider or
TRAP laws aimed at ending access to abortion.

 

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