Abortion is still legal in Virginia — and we all deserve to know our rights.
Here’s what the Dobbs decision means for us.
We knew Friday’s decision was coming, but that didn’t make the news less devastating.
The Supreme Court held that the US Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, upending 50 years of precedent and returning authority to regulate abortion to elected officials. Since the US Congress has not passed federal laws protecting abortion rights, that means the task now falls to the states.
We all deserve to know our rights, so here’s what the Dobbs decision means for Virginia:
Abortion is still legal in the first and second trimesters in Virginia. Those rights are protected in our state laws and you can read them here.
- In the first trimester, physicians, nurses, and certified nurse midwives can all perform abortions. After the first, only physicians can administer the procedure.
- In the third trimester, abortion is restricted to patients for whom three doctors will attest that continuing “the pregnancy is likely to result in the death of the woman” or “substantially and irremediably impair [her] mental or physical health”.
- Unlike some nearby states, Virginia no longer mandates counseling, ultrasounds, or waiting periods. That means many patients can get abortion care on one day with one appointment (thanks to the Reproductive Health Protection Act we passed in 2020).
- Patients under age 18 must still obtain consent from a parent, guardian, or judge.
Though our legal rights are fairly strong, our laws alone don’t guarantee that every patient gets the care they need.
- There are 15 clinics in Virginia that provide abortions, and we’re fortunate to have two of them in Charlottesville, but the vast majority of Virginians have to travel to seek care.
- The good news is Virginia now has six tele-health providers who deliver pills for first trimester abortions, increasing access to essential care for all Virginians.
- Abortion is still expensive, though. Medication costs start near $500 and increase with gestation. That’s why I passed legislation to repeal the ban on insurance coverage for abortion in our state health insurance exchange.
- Still many folks are uninsured or have plans that won’t cover abortion. That’s why it’s so important to support abortion funds that help patients navigate practical hurdles, including travel costs.
If you’re ready to help protect abortion in Virginia, please support our state abortion funds.
Virginia is now a safe haven for abortion in the South, and thousands of patients will come here to get the care they need. We will welcome them with open arms, but the influx of patients will strain our network of providers. The Blue Ridge Abortion Fund based right here in Charlottesville does indispensable work and deserve every ounce of help they get.
Please know that I’ll keep using every tool I have to protect abortion patients and providers. I’ve passed laws to expand abortion access, helped block the worst bills, and I’ll always stay vigilant for attempts to undermine our rights through executive authority.
Like so many of you, I continue to manage this moment in waves of fear and anguish, fury and resolve. My own mother did not live to see this day, but I’m certain that she did not want to leave this work to us. I choose to draw strength from the tools that she and so many mothers instilled in us: focus, faith, compassion, and a keen understanding of exactly how we got here. We’ll need them to secure our rights again.
