Virginia Board of Health Will Reexamine Politically-Motivated Regulations Targeting Abortion Providers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, December 4, 2014

CONTACT:

Alissa Manzoeillo
202.667.5881; 202.595.4395 (after hours/cell)
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Virginia Board of Health Will Reexamine Politically-Motivated Regulations Targeting Abortion Providers

Statement of Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation (NAF):

Today, the Virginia Board of Health took an important step toward potentially revising politically-motivated regulations targeting the state’s abortion providers.

These regulations—which require covered entryways, a certain number of parking spots, and specific types of water fountains—do nothing to make abortion safer. Abortion has an outstanding safety record, and providers should not be singled out for unnecessary restrictions, which could dramatically reduce women’s access to abortion care.

Throughout the debate and passage of these regulations in 2011, it was clear that they were aimed at closing clinics and decreasing women’s access to abortion care. Anti-choice politicians repeatedly ignored scientific evidence and testimony from medical experts, health care providers, and even the Virginia Health Commissioner who later resigned over the passage of these unwarranted regulations.

NAF and our members have been actively working to have these onerous regulations revised and we applaud the Board for taking this important step today.

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NAF is the professional association of abortion providers. Our members include private and non-profit clinics, Planned Parenthood affiliates, women’s health centers, physicians’ offices, and hospitals who together care for more than half the women who choose abortion in the U.S. and Canada each year. Our members also include public hospitals and both public and private clinics in Mexico City and private clinics in Colombia.