Abortion Clinic Regulations To Get State Health Review

An overwhelming majority of the Virginia Board of Health voted Thursday to review laws regulating abortion clinics across the state.

New regulations were put into place in 2013 during former Governor Bob McDonnell’s (R) term, according to The New York Times. Since democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe took over in January, the Health Board has shifted from a majority of members who oppose access to abortions to a majority who support it, Reuters reports.

The board voted 13-2 Thursday, Dec. 4, to begin a two-year process revamping stringent rules which closed two abortion clinics and threatened many more across Virginia last year.

“These clinics provide essential preventive care and cancer screenings to many women and families and unfortunately were facing closure due to onerous regulations that were the result of politics being inserted into the regulatory process,” Governor McAuliffe said in a statement after the vote.

The Virginia Board of Health will review six areas of regulation for the clinics, including: parental consent, medical testing, anesthesia, administration, storage and dispensing of drugs, emergency services and facility design and construction, according to The Richmond-Times Dispatch.

The existing rules will remain in effect during the amendment process, the Dispatch reports.

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