In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt that restrictions that have no medical benefit and are designed simply to limit access to abortion and shut down healthcare clinics are unconstitutional. Virginia's architectural requirements are clearly unconstitutional under this standard. Furthermore, the excessive administrative requirements present an additional undue burden to providers and patients in a blatant attempt to paperwork women's health centers out of business. 

The Commonwealth must respect each individual woman's health and the decisions she makes with the help of her doctors. It is not incumbent upon Virginia to police woman's bodies, and it is a disservice to society to inhibit women's ability to seek the healthcare they require.

As you consider amendments to Virginia's abortion provider regulations, I hope you will prioritize patient confidentiality and access to healthcare.  Please heed the expertise of doctors, medical professionals and legal experts and amend these onerous, medically-unnecessary, and unconstitutional regulations to be based only on science and the standard of care.