Government works best when its rules are consistent with one another and when its systems and motivations are transparent. The new regulations on women's health centers are neither of those things. The regulations are inconsistent in that procedures of similar invasiveness and risk to those carried out in women's health centers are carried out in other types of health centers that are not being burdened with similar regulations. Moreover, no medical professional organization or health safety organization is suggesting that such burdensome regulations should be put in place. This brings us to the failure of these regulations in terms of transparency. They have not been put forward to protect women's health, but rather as a backdoor attempt to end, or at least significantly reduce abortion in Virginia. However that is an argument best had in the open, and not one that should be settled by proxy in a set of regulations that are uncalled for in terms of the reasons given.

Your role is to approve good policy that will achieve its stated goals. More than sufficient testimony has been given that the regulations are not needed for the stated goals and the regulations are inconsistent, thus this is poor public policy and you should reject it. Thank you for your consideration, and the work you do on behalf of the people of Virginia.