By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Department of Public Health will hold a public hearing today (Monday) in Montgomery to discuss proposed rule changes for abortion clinics.
The new regulations are meant to improve follow-up care for patients by placing more responsibility on clinic medical directors and increasing qualification requirements for backup physicians.
State Health Officer Don Williamson said the need to add rules and clarify others became evident after investigators found numerous violations at clinics this year.
Violations ranged from lax equipment maintenance and record-keeping to abortion-inducing drugs being administered by medical staff rather than doctors.
Williamson said the new rules could be implemented early next year.
The public hearing gets underway at 10 a.m. in Room 807 of the Alabama State House.