New Virginia Law Could Force Most of State's Abortion Clinics to Close

Virginia Politics (Washington Post blog): McDonnell signs bill regulating abortion clinics as hospitals, by Rosalind S. Helderman:

Gov. Bob Mc­Don­nell (R) has signed a bill into law that requires clinics where first-trimester abortions are performed to be regulated as hospitals.

The bill gives the state’s Board of Health 280 days to enact new regulations for clinics. Abortion rights advocates say they fear that the regulations will include requirements regarding hallway and doorway width, along with new staffing and equipment rules, whose cost they say could force as many as 17 of the state’s 21 clinics to close. . . .