Keep women safe — regulate abortion clinics the same as hospitals -- uphold 12VAC5-412

The bill in question, to Regulate Abortion Clinics,12VAC5-412, places the same requirements on clinics that perform surgical abortions as all hospitals and surgical clinics must follow, by law. These hospital grade regulations are necessary to ensure safe operating rooms, clean equipment, fully licensed staff, and signed contracts for emergency ambulance service within 30 minutes. Without such regulations, no hospital could lawfully open its doors. Women deserve nothing less than the best, and Virginia should lead the way with this legislation. 

The only way to stop unlicensed doctors like Gosnell from causing damage or death to women is to pass laws like this one. If common sense regulations like these were required and enforced in all states, fewer unsafe procedures would occur, far more women would be safe, and fully licensed doctors would become the norm for all women. No doubt more women would keep their babies or give them up for adoption, too, because that is what caring, fully licensed doctors are more likely to recommend, when the woman is in good health and there are no other extenuating circumstances.