(Reuters) - Virginia's Board of Health voted on Monday to remove contested regulations on abortion clinics that included meeting hospital-like building standards, a spokeswoman said. The 11-4 vote lifted restrictions imposed under a 2011 law that the board found were an undue burden on abortion providers, the spokeswoman said.
Among other guidelines, the regulations called for facilities that perform five or more abortions a month to undertake costly renovations to meet hospital-style building codes instead of their current design as outpatient clinics. Backers had argued that the standards kept women safe, but opponents claimed they limited abortion access for women.
The board's vote followed a Supreme Court decision in June that struck down a Texas law imposing similar restrictions on facilities that carry out abortions.
Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe hailed the decision. "This afternoon’s vote signals a victory and the end of a protracted regulatory fight over the future of women’s health in Virginia," he said in a statement.
Virginia health board lifts contested rules on abortion clinics
The regressive law, a back-handed, sneaky attempt to eliminate access to abortion for Virginia’s women, was the product of Virginia’s former Republican governor, Bob McDonnell and his Republican-controlled legislature. Democratic governor Terry McAuliffe swore to get this done and he did it! Don’t ever let anyone tell you that both parties are the same!
This is just one of the many laws impacted (in a good way) by the Supreme Court’s ruling in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt and it’s the most important Supreme Court ruling about reproductive health in 20 years. It was decided by the short-handed, eight person court, in a 5-3 ruling on June 27, 2016. The following link gives all the details: