North Carolina's new abortion ban is changing the dynamic here in Virginia.
Virginia is now an outlier, the lone state in the South that protects abortion rights. And so, as neighboring states start implementing new restrictions, the Commonwealth is expected to become a destination for abortions.
Jamie Lockhart at Planned Parenthood says the extent of that is hard to determine.
"While we expect many more patients traveling from out of state to seek care in Virginia because North Carolina's ban contains so many unprecedented obstacles that we haven't seen in the bans in other states, it's really difficult to predict how many people are going to travel to access care," Lockhart explains.
Todd Gathje at the Family Foundation says he's concerned that Virginia will become a destination for abortions.
"Virginia's abortion laws – they’re more akin to China or North Korea than our neighbors," says Gathje. "And we need to do what we can to help change the hearts and minds of individuals so that we can do what we can to pass legislation to protect more of the unborn."
Governor Glenn Youngkin says he wants a 15-week ban, and that might happen in Virginia depending on the outcome of the General Assembly election this year.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
