TRAP Public Comment Period – Closes Thursday

We have just two days left to push back against the highly politicized targeted regulations on abortion providers (TRAP). The public comment period ends at midnight Thursday, July 31. Please take a few minutes to make your views known about these medically unnecessary regulations that have already resulted in two clinics closing and threaten the health and safety of Virginia women.

Click here to submit your comment.

Here are some talking points to use when writing your comment:

• The Board of Health must completely repeal and rewrite the current regulations of women’s health centers to protect women’s health and preserve access to comprehensive reproductive care.
• All health professions should be regulated, but these politically motivated restrictions aren’t necessary for patients’ safety. Instead, these restrictions endanger women’s health.
• Current regulations of Virginia women’s health centers are about politics, not medicine.
• Doctors, health care professionals, and a majority of Virginians oppose these regulations.
• If the regulations are not repealed and rewritten, tens of thousands of Virginia women and families will lose access to critical medical care.

Thank you for taking action for the health and safety of Virginia women.

Marj Signer
Virginia NOW
Legislative VP

To comment, go to the Virginia Regulatory Town hall site: http://www.townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?periodicreviewid=1316. 

Learn more:

In May, Gov. McAuliffe directed the Virginia Board of Health to conduct a review of the abortion clinic regulations designed by former Atty General Ken Cuccinelli and enforced by former Gov. McDonnell. Currently, the Virginia Dept. of Health is accepting public comments on whether to amend, repeal and rewrite, or uphold the regulations in their current form.

~o~

Click here to see available current reproductive, choice, and abortion services within Virginia. 
http://www.vanow.org/support/reproductive-choice-abortion-services

On Wednesday: “How to Elect More Women” Panel Discussion and Networking Happy Hour

“How to Elect More Women” Panel Discussion and Networking Happy Hour

Hosted by the Arlington Young Democrats Women’s Caucus
Chair Paradise Kendra and Vice-chair Michelle Woods

When: Wednesday, July 23rd 5:30-630 pm
5:30-6:30 pm Networking Happy Hour. Free Appetizers Provided.
6:30-8:30 pm Panel Discussion with Q and A

Where: Café Asia: 1550 Wilson Blvd #100, Arlington, VA 22209
Metro: Rosslyn (Orange and Blue line) Parking: Available on street and in Café Asia garage for $3

Who: Panelists include:

1.) Senator Jennifer Wexton, VA State Senator of the 33rd Senate District
2.) Senator Barbara Favola, VA State Senator of the 31st Senate District
3.) Jennifer Boysko, former and future House of Delegate candidate of VA’s 86th district
4.) Kathleen Murphy, former and future House of Delegate candidate of VA’s 34th district
5.) Yasmine Taeb, former House of Delegate candidate of VA’s 48th district

Why: It’s more than evident, we need to elect more women in this country and we need to do it now. The United States ranks 98th in the world in number of women in our national legislature. At this panel we will ask our panelist about best strategies in order to elect more women at both the state and national level. We will learn about the barriers that exist and how to combat them.

Right now there are 335 state legislative leaders, and just 60 of them are women, a total of 17.9 percent. In Virginia, only 17% of its legislative body is represented by women, compared to states like Colorado and Vermont where 41% of their legislative bodies are represented by women. Virginia leads states like Louisiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina, which currently have the least diverse gender representation at 13% but none of this is acceptable for the 21st century.

Point of Contact: For questions contact AYD Outreach Director Michelle Woods at womenscaucus@arlingtonyoungdems.org.