Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Virginia Department of Health
 
Board
State Board of Health
 
chapter
Regulations for Licensure of Abortion Facilities [12 VAC 5 ‑ 412]
Action Amend the Regulation after Assessment and Receipt of Public Comment
Stage NOIRA
Comment Period Ended on 10/31/2018
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10/31/18  11:17 am
Commenter: H Delano

Women and Children's Health
 

I agree with the comments below, they seem common sense to me.

Here are a few changes CWALAC recommends the Board make:

    • Reinstate all of the health and safety measures the Board unlawfully watered down during its last amendment process. 

    • Require all OLC inspections to verify that ultrasounds have been performed at least 24 hours prior to every abortion performed. 

    • Require annual inspections on abortion facilities instead of biennial. 

    • Remove the ability of the Commissioner to grant permanent variances.

    • Reinstate the definition of the "first trimester" as being the first twelve weeks from conception, not "13 weeks and 6 days after last menstrual period." 

    • Reinstate the ability of the department to deny, suspend, or revoke the license to operate an abortion facility for violating "any provision of Article 1 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1."

    • Reinstate the requirement that abortion facilities provide information on post-abortion counseling to its patients.

    • Reinstate the requirement that the abortion facility ensures that it has removed all of the fetal body parts from inside of the female patient upon the performance of an abortion. 

    • Reinstate the requirement that abortion facilities report to OLC any incidents reported to the malpractice insurance carrier.

    • Reinstate the reasonable design and construction standards that provided for things such as hallways wide enough to carry patients out on stretchers in cases of emergency.

CommentID: 68590