Regulations governing hospitals; facilities performing abortions. (SB877)

A voice of reason. Thank you Sen. Favola.

The ACLU of Virginia strongly supports SB877, which would bring Virginia law in line with the constitutional standard established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. Abortion is incredibly safe—99% safe, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is also incredibly common—approximately three in ten women will have an abortion in their lifetimes, and will need access to safe, legal facilities to obtain abortion care. Despite the safety of the procedure, in 2011 the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law that requires abortion providers to follow burdensome and unnecessary regulations designed to close them down and make it harder to access abortion care in Virginia. Leading medical associations and medical professionals have consistently opposed this law because it puts women’s safety at risk. In June 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt held that clinic shutdown laws, like Virginia’s, that do not benefit women’s health are unconstitutional. SB877 would repeal Virginia’s unconstitutional clinic shutdown law and ensure that no abortion provider in Virginia will be shut down unless it is a bone fide threat to public health.

The ACLU of Virginia strongly supports SB877, which would bring Virginia law in line with the constitutional standard established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt. Abortion is incredibly safe—99% safe, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is also incredibly common—approximately three in ten women will have an abortion in their lifetimes, and will need access to safe, legal facilities to obtain abortion care. Despite the safety of the procedure, in 2011 the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law that requires abortion providers to follow burdensome and unnecessary regulations designed to close them down and make it harder to access abortion care in Virginia. Leading medical associations and medical professionals have consistently opposed this law because it puts women’s safety at risk. In June 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt held that clinic shutdown laws, like Virginia’s, that do not benefit women’s health are unconstitutional. SB877 would repeal Virginia’s unconstitutional clinic shutdown law and ensure that no abortion provider in Virginia will be shut down unless it is a bone fide threat to public health.

I support this Bill. Thank you

This is a commonsense law that would protect women's health going forward. The 2011 General Assembly attempt to close down abortion clinics meant that more women had difficulty accessing services when they needed them.

I strongly support this bill.