Virginia City Council Passes Resolution to Target Abortion Provider

On Tuesday, the Manassas, Va., City Council passed a resolution that would create a committee to study what regulations and guidelines abortion clinics in the city operate under and to determine if stricter guidelines are needed.

The resolution’s author incorrectly claims there are no health and safety requirements for the city’s one abortion provider, NAF member Amethyst Health Center for Women. However, the Amethyst Health Center adheres to federal standards, professional conduct requirements of the state’s Board of Medicine and the Department of Health Professionals, and NAF’s Clinical Policy Guidelines, which set the highest standards for quality abortion care.

This resolution is an example of a Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider (TRAP) bill, which singles out abortion clinics for unnecessary, politically motivated, restrictive regulations.

“Regulations such as these are calculated to chip away at abortion access under the guise of legitimate regulation,” said Jennifer Blasdell, NAF’s director of public policy in today’s Washington Post.