Protect Access to Women's Health Care!
Friday April 12th, is the final Board of Health meeting on burdensome and unnecessary regulations on women's health centers (aka TRAP). If approved on Friday, TRAP regulations could force the majority of Virginia’s women’s health centers to shut their doors and cause thousands of women and families to lose access to essential medical care. Read our statement.
RSVP to join us at the meeting and stand for women's health!
According to new statewide survey, majority of Virginians oppose targeted regulations on abortion providers (TRAP), which could shutter majority of Virginia women's health centers. Get the full poll results here!
Red Tape Will "TRAP” Virginia Women
In March 2011, Governor McDonnell signed SB 924, a bill that classifies women’s health centers in the state as a category of hospitals, making them subject to new regulations created by the Department of Health. These laws are called "TRAP laws,” which stands for Targeted Regulations Against Abortion Providers. Now is the time to stand up for Virginia women.
Laws that target only abortion providers 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.
After the governor approved temporary regulations, the Board of Health voted on permanent regulations on June 15, amending a key provision to "grandfather in” existing women's health centers rather than subjecting them to onerous and unnecessary forced building requirements. However, the Attorney General placed politics over women's health and refused to certify those new rules. The Board voted again on September 14, 2012, and under extreme pressure from the Attorney General and Governor McDonnell did not approve "grandfathering in" existing women's health centers. Learn more about the permanent regulations. Learn more about the next steps in the regulation process.
After the governor approved temporary regulations, the Board of Health voted on permanent regulations on June 15, amending a key provision to "grandfather in” existing women's health centers rather than subjecting them to onerous and unnecessary forced building requirements. However, the Attorney General placed politics over women's health and refused to certify those new rules. The Board voted again on September 14, 2012, and under extreme pressure from the Attorney General and Governor McDonnell did not approve "grandfathering in" existing women's health centers. Learn more about the permanent regulations. Learn more about the next steps in the regulation process.