Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Cuccinelli’s threatening memo sways Board of Health in favor of new abortion clinic regs


In an unambiguous setback for advocates of abortion-rights, the Virginia Board of Health voted 13-2 in favor of assuming regulations that mandate existing abortion clinics in Virginia be regulated like new hospitals[1].  

Supporters of abortion-rights in Virginia stated that if the regulations remain in place, the upgrades required under new construction guidelines could force the closure of nearly 20 abortion clinics in the commonwealth due to costs.

For anti-abortion advocates, the decision was of course welcomed.

Disturbingly, at least one member of the Virginia Board of Health stated that members of the board felt “threatened” by a memo sent by the office of Attorney General (AG) Ken Cuccinelli[2]. The memo gave warning to board members that they could lose legal representation from the AG’s office if they went against its advice. In other words, the AG’s office used intimidation to sway the board in its corner of the issue.

The board had voted 7-4 in June to exempt existing abortion clinics from the new construction guidelines. Afterwards, the AG’s office refused to sign off on the regulations.

According to the AG’s office, the board does not have the authority to pass provisions that do not comply with the law passed in the 2011 General Assembly[3].

The clear infusion of politics into this issue by the AG’s office and Gov. Bob McDonnell has left the most recent vote by the board as open to controversy as the initial vote in June.

Both McDonnell and Cuccinelli both oppose abortion. Both also apparently believe that by shutting down Virginia’s abortion clinics de facto, women will magically be “better off.” But how making a service less accessible to women will make them “better off” is unclear.

What is clear is that women in Virginia will still seek abortions, regardless of its legality or difficulty. The new regulations only make it more difficult for women seeking abortions to have them done safely in the care of specialized abortion clinics.

Women are now less well off in Virginia thanks to the new abortion clinic regulations.

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