I strongly support the current regulations on abortion centers approved overwhelmingly by the Board of Health. These regulations should be made permanent and continue to include the strongest standards.

Health inspectors have documented numerous health and safety violations in the facilities, and most of the facilities had to submit plans of correction in order to receive provisional licensure. Clearly, the abortion industry cannot be relied upon to self-regulate and promote standards of cleanliness and safety in their facilities.

I refuse to accept the premise that abortion is health care because it ends lives rather than healing them. Recent advances in the fields of genomic science and ultrasound technology have made it obvious that conception is indeed the start of a whole new human being, separate and distinct from both the mother and the father, and equally deserving of and entitled to health care. However, the existence of the abortion industry under the guise of “health care” is a sad and tragic reality in our Commonwealth and our country. The current regulations are reasonable, common-sense measures to ensure that life-saving permanent abortion facility regulations to protect the health and safety of women.