After hours of emotional debate, the Virginia Board of Health overwhelmingly approved far-reaching regulations for abortion clinics Thursday that some operators say could shut down many of the state’s 22 facilities.
The very specific regulations, some of the toughest in the nation, include mandates on the size of exam rooms, the width of hallways and the number of parking spaces, as well as requirements for inspections, medical procedures and record-keeping.
Also, remember who’s lurking in the background of all this. As Del. Charniele Herring pointed out, this is largely the handiwork of Ayatollah Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, whose “office advised the Virginia Board of Health members that accepting some of the most reasonable amendments to the draft regulations was beyond their authority.” In 2013, Cuccinelli is another one who needs to be booted out of office, no matter what he’s running for. What a nightmare and what a disgrace.
P.S. Just to reiterate the obvious: these regulations have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with protecting women’s health. Evidence for this assertion? Put it this way, have you heard of an epidemic of health-related problems at Virginia abortion clinics in recent years? No, of course not, because there hasn’t been any such thing. It’s all politics, combined with right-wing theocratic ideology and misogyny (e.g., control of women’s bodies).
P.P.S. See the excellent Huffington Post article for more background.
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