Hospitals; classification of certain facilities in which abortions are performed. (HB2182)

Introduced By

Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Classification as hospitals of certain facilities in which abortions are performed. Eliminates language classifying facilities in which five or more first trimester abortions per month are performed as hospitals for the purpose of compliance with regulations of the Board of Health related to construction, maintenance, operation, staffing, and equipping of hospitals. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/09/2013Committee
01/09/2013Presented and ordered printed 13102346D
01/09/2013Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
01/15/2013Assigned HWI sub: #4
01/17/2013Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/05/2013Left in Health, Welfare and Institutions

Comments

ACLU-VA Women's Rights and Reproductive Freedom, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia supports this bill because it eliminates an anti-choice measure passed in the 2011 General Assembly session - the classification of women's health centers that provide first-trimester abortion as a category of hospital. Classifying women's health centers as a category of hospital subjects women's health centers to new regulations created by the Virginia Department of Health known as TRAP - Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers. First-trimester abortions remain one of the safest and most common of all in-office surgical procedures. Abortion should not be regulated differently than other outpatient procedures that do not trigger these kinds of strict regulations. Laws that target only abortion providers, such as the bill passed in 2011 that classifies women's health centers as a category of hospital, have nothing to do with the safe delivery of services for women and everything to do with legislators’ efforts to restrict access to reproductive healthcare. Women’s health centers that provide a full range of comprehensive health care services could close because of an inability to meet regulations that have nothing to do with women’s health and safety.