Anti-abortion legislators in Virginia scored a "major victory" last week by passing regulations that could shutter as many as 17 of the state's 21 abortion clinics. The new rules regulate abortion clinics as hospitals rather than as doctors' offices, according to The Washington Post. Supporters say that will make abortions safer, but critics argue it will only drive facilities out of business by requiring them to make "cost-prohibitive" renovations. Are Virginia's lawmakers just being responsible by setting higher standards — or is this just an attempt to strike a blow against abortion rights?
This is about safety: This law will protect women's health, says Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia, as quoted in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The regulations required by this law would simply "ensure that these centers are safe for the women who make the unfortunate choice of abortion."
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