Facilities providing first-trimester abortions in Virginia have good health records and are considered to be well-run and safe. It is difficult for me to understand why they need to be any more regulated than they already are; however as there is now legislation requiring regulation on an emergency basis, I think it is best to be as cautious as possible in imposing only regulations that are essential and in taking great care to ensure that the women of Virginia continue to have access to safe, legal abortion services. 

Abortion is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States. According to accepted statistics, as many as one in three women in the Untied States have an abortion at some point in their life. My purpose is not to argue whether abortion is right or wrong. I do not believe that government regulation should impose the moral values and religious beliefs of any one person or group or elected official(s) on the populace; it should ensure that public safety and health are upheld and that individuals are able to freely act according to their conscience and circumstances. 

I believe the proposed regulations are overly severe. I think regulations that will cause clinics providing first-trimester abortion to virtually rebuild their facilities are unnecessary.

Thank you for your consideration