As a Virginia resident, I am very concerned that these regulations will impose very burdensome requirements on clinic buildings that have no relationship to the services these clinics provide and that, consequently, the regulations will severely impede patients' access to health care.  Any regulations of women's health centers should be consistent with evidence-based medical practices.  But, on the contrary, these regulations would place medically inappropriate and unnecessarily burdensome restrictions on clinics that will hinder access to health care services that women in our Commonwealth need.  They will particularly hurt young, low-income, and uninsured women by reducing their health care options.

That this is a step in the wrong direction is underscored by the high standard of care already provided by women's health centers and their excellent safety record. Excessive regulation is not what Virginia women need.  These regulations will limit access not only to abortion services, but to a wide range of preventive reproductive health care services provided by women's health clinics, including life-saving cancer screenings, family planning, and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment. 

Please rethink these regulations.  They need to be based on science and proven medical practices.  Our government should not be trying to obstruct women's access to essential health care.