The proposed regulations to women's healthcare facilities serve three functions: 

(1) to block abortion access for low-income women

(2) to place meaningless barriers in front of women in need of abortions

(3) to effectively shut down most or all women's health clinics in our state.

I will address each purpose in turn

First, abortions will take place with or without these regulations, and the women who will bear the brunt of the burden of the regulations are low-income women. Women with financial resources will still access abortions, either safely or otherwise, but low-income women will be forced to undergo life-threatening abortions if these regulations pass. Clinics will close and women of fewer means will have no alternatives.

Second, the regulations place meaningless barriers to women's access to abortion. Make no mistake: the regulations here are in no way related to women's health. Like all other healthcare facilities, abortion clinics have regulations already in place to ensure that all patients receive the safest care available. The new regulations, on the other hand, are related to women's health only in the sense that this is the mantra politicians are chanting to cover up their true motives: shutting down these facilities. Does it make sense for abortion facilities to be required to have hallways wide enough to fit two gurneys fit side by side? No. Most clinics don't use gurneys because this procedure is so safe that they are not required. Rather, the purpose of this particular regulation is to force clinics to either rebuild their facilities, to their own financial detriment, or shut down based on their inability to do so.

Finally, these regulations will effectively shut down most clinics in this state. Not only will this force women to undergo dangerous abortions, it will also take away women's access to other life-saving procedures. These clinics offer general OB-GYN services and other birth control assistance that all women utilize in some fashion, and closing them down is a direct threat to women's health. These regulations must be stopped and we must begin to hold politicians accountable for legislating away women's health.