Regulating them out of existence
by digby
Kansas may be in the process of closing down the last three clinics that provide abortions in the state. And they've done it through cunning and devious means:
The new requirements require facilities to add extra bathrooms, drastically expand waiting and recovery areas, and even add larger janitor's closets, as one clinic employee told me—changes that clinics will have a heck of a time pulling off by the deadline. Under the new rule, clinics must also aquire state certification to admit patients, a process that takes 90 to 120 days, the staffer explained. Which makes it impossible for clinics to comply. And clinics that don't comply with the rules will face fines or possible closure.
The state's latest approach—with its remodeling requirements and so forth—is often referred to as "Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers." TRAP laws are intended to make it difficult, if not impossible, for clinics to operate, and they have become increasingly common around the country.
I guess that's one way to do it.
I've heard lots of people pooh-poohing this because as long as one state continues to offer a way for women to exercise their constitutional rights that should be fine. Iit's more onerous, but not impossible, so therefore it's not that big of a deal. Obviously, for adult women with money, it is less convenient. Others not so much. But I would guess that illegal providers will fill the gap for them and we have a lot of experience in the past with how well that goes.
But what to make of this new approach to outlawing a legal procedure? One cannot help but admire the sheer chutzpah of people who rail against the very concept of regulation using it for their own purposes this way. But then hypocrisys isn't something they worry too much about is it.
This just makes me feel weary. This will probably continue until there are just a few states still have clinics and then they will be able to concentrate all their fire on them.
Meanwhile, they are moving on to the next phase already.
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