The Board of Health's initial decision to "grandfather in" existing abortion clinics while implementing the new TRAP regulations was the correct one.  Following this decision, the bullying from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's office to remove the grandfather clause was shameful!   It even prompted the resignation of respected public health champion, Dr. Karen Remley, who felt the Attorney General had overreached so boldly that she could no longer oversee Virginia’s public health in a manner that best benefits Virginians.

TRAP regulations have very little to do with protecting women’s health and were implemented with one political goal: to force the majority of women’s health centers in Virginia to close in order to significantly limit access to abortion services in Virginia.  These architectural regulations will limit access to CRUCIAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES for many women throughout the Commonwealth.   It is not just abortion services that are being provided by these clinics, and it is lower-income women who could otherwise not afford screenings who receive services at these clinics. 

I ask that the regulations be reverted back to the initial vote made by the Board of Health and that existing clinics be "grandfathered in" before these new architectural regulations take affect.  To do so would be ensuring access to health care for thousands of women who might not otherwise be able to have regular screenings.  Please take the politics out of this.  Abortion is legal.  Abortions in Virginia are safe.  Forcing these clinics to close with these unnecessary and excessive architectural standards will make abortions LESS safe.  If there is no access to a safe, legal procedure - women will seek other alternatives, which will result in deaths.  If women's health is truly your goal, allow the existing clinics to remain open without forcing them to make unnecessary renovations that are so cost-prohibitive that they will have to close.  Think about women and their health, not a political agenda attempting to circumvent the legality of abortion in America by removing access.

Sincerely,

Shannon Fisher