Virginia's Policies at a Glance
Find out where Virginia stands on choice--and how we compare to other states.
This information is drawn from the Alan Guttmacher Institute's State Policies in Brief page.
Virginia is...
...one of 26 states with a ban on "partial-birth" abortion. However, Virginia is also among the 18 states in which a court order has blocked enforcement of the ban.
...one of 47 states with a "refusal clause" allowing health care professionals and institutions to refuse to provide specific reproductive health services, information, or referrals.
...one of 31 states that have laws that subject women seeking abortions to biased counseling requirements and/or mandatory delays. In Virginia, a woman is required to undergo state-directed "counseling" designed to discourage her from choosing abortion, followed by a mandatory 24-hour waiting period.
...one of 44 states requiring parental consent or notification before a minor may obtain an abortion. In Virginia, this law includes an exception for certain cases of abuse, assault, incest, or neglect, and allows certain specified adult relatives, such as grandparents, to be involved instead of a parent.
...one of 17 states prohibiting insurance companies from covering abortion. In Virginia, this law applies to policies for public employees or using public funds, and includes exceptions for life endangerment, rape, incest, and severe fetal abnormalities.
...one of 40 states banning abortions after fetal viability. Virginia's law is one of 18 state laws which are most likely unenforcable under current Supreme Court requirements, but which have not been challenged in court. Virginia's law includes an exception only if a woman's life is in danger, which violates the Court's ruling that states may not prohibit abortions "necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother."
| 
