Virginia Voting on Abortion Clinic Regulations

Board of Health will vote whether to make emergency regulations permanent

New abortion clinic regulations are back before the Virginia Board of Health.

The board is scheduled to vote Friday on permanent regulations that are substantially the same as emergency regulations that have been in effect since Jan. 1.

The board voted 7-4 to strike a requirement that existing clinics meet the same strict building standards as new hospital construction -- the most hotly contested provision in the new regulations. Only newly constructed clinics would be held to those standards.

Several opponents of the regulations leapt to their feet, cheered and hugged one another after the vote. Proponents say the regulations are intended to protect women's health, but critics say the real aim is to reduce access to abortions by driving up costs or putting clinics out of business. They have argued the regulations could force the closure of most of the 20 clinics that have applied for a license.

The board ignored the advice of the attorney general's office, which said the 2011 law requiring the regulations mandates the tougher standards.

Only one board member voted against the emergency regulations last September.

The board continued discussing other provisions Friday afternoon.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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