{"schema":"abhortion.org/legislation.full/v1","id":"legality-us-va","type":"legislation","level":"state","jurisdiction":"Virginia","as_of_date":"2026-07-12","research_completed_date":"2026-07-12","headline":"Legal to ~27 weeks; third-trimester limited","summary":"Virginia permits abortion freely through the first and second trimesters (~26 weeks 6 days LMP); after the second trimester, abortion is lawful only in a hospital with three-physician certification of life or health endangerment.","machine_readable_summary":{"legal_classification":"gestational_limit","gestational_limit_weeks":27,"limit_measured_from":"last_menstrual_period","abortion_currently_available":"yes","ban_or_limit_enjoined":false,"mother_expressly_exempt":"true","mother_prosecutable_in_practice":"false","self_managed_abortion_criminalized":"false","abortion_charged_as_homicide":false,"fetal_homicide_law":true,"fetal_wrongful_death_action":true,"personhood_language_in_law":false,"personhood_contradiction":true,"medication_abortion_distinct_status":false,"mailing_pills_banned":false,"method_bans":["d_and_x"],"telehealth_prescribing_allowed":true,"physician_only_law":false,"provider_max_penalty":"Class 4 felony, 2–10 years, fine up to $100,000","helpers_criminally_exposed":"unclear","travel_assistance_criminalized":false,"civil_bounty_law":false,"shield_state":false,"waiting_period_hours":null,"state_scripted_counseling":false,"ultrasound_required":"none","in_person_visits_required":1,"parental_involvement":"consent_one_parent","judicial_bypass_available":true,"spousal_consent_or_notice_on_books":false,"medicaid_coverage":"hyde_only","private_insurance_restricted":false,"state_funding_posture":"neutral","rape_incest_exception":false,"exceptions_present":["life","physical_health","mental_health","fatal_fetal_anomaly"],"major_pending_change":true},"links":{"html":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/va.html","markdown":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/va.md","summary_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/va.json","full_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/va-full.json","verbose_json":"https://www.abhortion.org/legislation/va-verbose.json"},"overview":{"title":"Legal to ~27 weeks; third-trimester limited","summary":"Virginia permits abortion freely through the first and second trimesters (~26 weeks 6 days LMP); after the second trimester, abortion is lawful only in a hospital with three-physician certification of life or health endangerment.","description":"Virginia is the most permissive state for abortion in the Southeast. Abortion is legal for any reason through the second trimester of pregnancy — about 26 weeks and 6 days after the last menstrual period. After that point, in the third trimester, abortion is available only when continuing the pregnancy would risk the woman's death or substantially and irremediably harm her physical or mental health, and only in a hospital with three physicians certifying that need. There is no waiting period, no mandatory ultrasound, and no requirement that abortion clinics meet hospital-style building standards. A constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom went on the November 2026 ballot. Virginia remains a major destination for abortion seekers from states with stricter bans.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-73"}]},"sections":{"definitions":{"title":"No statutory definition of 'abortion'","summary":"Virginia's abortion article does not define 'abortion'; the operative statute criminalizes administering drugs or using means to destroy an 'unborn child' or produce abortion or miscarriage, with lawful pathways in subsequent sections.","description":"Virginia law does not provide a single statutory definition of the word 'abortion.' Instead, the criminal statute at § 18.2-71 makes it a crime to give a woman drugs or use other means with the intent to destroy her 'unborn child' or produce an abortion or miscarriage — and that crime applies unless one of the lawful exceptions in later sections applies. The separate vital-records law defines 'fetal death' as death prior to complete expulsion or extraction regardless of pregnancy duration, and 'induced termination of pregnancy' as intentional interruption of pregnancy with intent other than producing a live birth. Nothing in Virginia statutory law expressly carves out miscarriage management, ectopic pregnancy treatment, or IVF embryos from the reach of the abortion provisions; however, the broad lawful pathways in the first and second trimesters and the focus on intent to terminate a pregnancy make prosecution for those contexts practically unheard of.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71"}]},"current_status":{"title":"Legal through second trimester; third trimester restricted","summary":"Abortion is legal for any reason through the second trimester (~26 weeks 6 days LMP); after that, it requires three-physician certification of life or health endangerment in a hospital.","description":"Abortion is legal in Virginia for any reason up to the end of the second trimester, which means about 26 weeks and 6 days measured from the first day of the last menstrual period. During the first trimester, both physicians and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) can provide abortion care. During the second trimester, the procedure must be performed by a physician, and under current practice may be done in a clinic — though the statute on its face still says a hospital is required. In the third trimester, abortion is limited to a hospital setting and requires three physicians to certify that continuing the pregnancy is likely to result in death or substantially and irremediably impair the woman's physical or mental health.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-72"},{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-74"},{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/cases/falls-church-healthcare-center-et-al-v-norman-oliver-et-al"}]},"enforcement_status":{"title":"No active injunction; partial district court ruling","summary":"Virginia's abortion statutes are not subject to any current statewide injunction; the 2019 Falls Church district court ruling striking the hospital requirement is of uncertain effect after voluntary dismissal of the appeal.","description":"Nobody has stopped Virginia from enforcing its abortion laws through a court order right now. The closest thing is a 2019 federal district court ruling that said the requirement that second-trimester abortions happen in a hospital was unconstitutional, but that lawsuit was later withdrawn voluntarily, and no higher court has ever confirmed the ruling. In practice, the state has not tried to enforce the hospital requirement, and second-trimester abortions are routinely provided in clinics. The third-trimester restrictions and parental consent requirements are fully in effect and are not blocked by any court.","verification":"verify_before_publication","confidence":"medium","sources":[{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/cases/falls-church-healthcare-center-et-al-v-norman-oliver-et-al"}]},"exceptions":{"life":{"title":"Life exception, third trimester","type":"life","summary":"The third-trimester restriction expressly permits abortion when the physician and two consulting physicians certify that continuing the pregnancy is likely to result in the woman's death.","description":"At any stage of pregnancy, including the third trimester, a physician may perform an abortion if it is necessary to save the woman's life. For third-trimester abortions, this requires certification by the performing physician and two additional consulting physicians, entered into the hospital record, stating that continuing the pregnancy is likely to cause death.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-74"}]},"physical_health":{"title":"Physical health exception, third trimester","type":"physical_health","summary":"Third-trimester abortion is lawful when three physicians certify that continuing the pregnancy would substantially and irremediably impair the woman's physical health.","description":"If continuing a pregnancy into the third trimester would cause a substantial and permanent physical health problem, Virginia law permits an abortion in a hospital with certification by the performing physician and two consulting physicians. The impairment must be both substantial (not minor) and irremediable (not fixable). The law does not require that the woman be at death's door — it sets a lower bar for health than for life — but it does demand a significant and lasting physical harm.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-74"}]},"mental_health":{"title":"Mental health exception, third trimester","type":"mental_health","summary":"Third-trimester abortion is lawful when three physicians certify continuing the pregnancy would substantially and irremediably impair the woman's mental health.","description":"Virginia is unusual among states with gestational limits in having an express mental health exception. If continuing a pregnancy would cause a substantial and permanent mental health problem, an abortion is permitted in the third trimester with certification from the performing physician and two additional consulting doctors. The law uses the same 'substantially and irremediably impair' standard for mental health as it does for physical health.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-74"}]},"rape":{"title":"No rape exception needed","type":"rape","summary":"Because abortion is legal for any reason through the second trimester, no standalone rape exception exists or is needed; state Medicaid funds abortion in cases of rape with law-enforcement reporting.","description":"Virginia does not have a separate 'rape exception' in its abortion laws because there is no need for one: abortion is legal for any reason up to about 27 weeks. However, for state Medicaid funding purposes, abortion is covered in cases of rape when the incident is reported to law enforcement within a specified timeframe. This funding provision is limited — it only affects who pays, not whether the abortion is legal.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"incest":{"title":"No incest exception needed","type":"incest","summary":"Because abortion is legal for any reason through the second trimester, no standalone incest exception exists; state Medicaid covers abortion for incest with reporting.","description":"As with rape, Virginia does not need a separate incest exception because abortion is broadly legal through 27 weeks. State Medicaid covers abortion in cases of incest when reported to the proper authorities.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"fatal_fetal_anomaly":{"title":"Fetal anomaly funding, not exception","type":"fatal_fetal_anomaly","summary":"Virginia has no standalone fetal anomaly exception because abortion is broadly lawful, but state Medicaid funds abortion where the fetus has an 'incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency.'","description":"Virginia's laws do not have a separate exception for fatal fetal anomalies because abortion is generally available through the second trimester regardless of reason. Notably, the state does provide Medicaid funding for abortions when the fetus has a 'gross and totally incapacitating physical deformity' or a 'gross and totally incapacitating mental deficiency' — a funding provision beyond what the federal Hyde Amendment alone would cover.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title32.1/chapter3/section32.1-92.2"}]},"ectopic_miscarriage_carveout":{"title":"No express carveout","type":"ectopic_miscarriage_carveout","summary":"Virginia's abortion statutes do not expressly except ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage management, but the lawful pathways make prosecution for these contexts practically non-existent.","description":"The Virginia abortion statutes do not contain an explicit section saying that treating an ectopic pregnancy or managing a miscarriage is not an abortion. However, because abortion is legal for any reason through the second trimester, and because the statutory language targets intentional destruction of an 'unborn child' to produce abortion or miscarriage, standard medical treatment for ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage management has never been treated as criminal abortion in Virginia.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"}},"methods":{"procedural_surgical":{"title":"Legal; D&X banned, D&E not restricted","summary":"Procedural abortion is legal through the second trimester; intact D&E (partial birth infanticide) is banned as a Class 4 felony, but standard D&E is expressly not covered by this ban.","description":"Surgical abortion procedures — including suction aspiration and dilation and evacuation (D&E) — are legal in Virginia through the second trimester. Virginia does ban what it calls 'partial birth infanticide,' which is an intact D&E (or D&X) procedure, as a Class 4 felony. However, the law explicitly says that standard suction curettage, suction aspiration, and dilation and evacuation involving dismemberment of the fetus before removal are not covered by this ban. The mother cannot be prosecuted under this ban for any act performed by a physician.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71.1"}]},"medication":{"title":"Legal; no distinct restriction","summary":"Medication abortion (mifepristone/misoprostol) is governed by the same trimester framework as procedural abortion; Virginia does not ban mailing abortion pills or require in-person dispensing.","description":"Medication abortion — using pills to end a pregnancy — is legal in Virginia under the same rules as procedural abortion. It can be used in the first trimester and is subject to the same provider rules: a physician or APRN may prescribe it. Virginia does not have a separate law banning the mailing of abortion medication, does not require that the pills be swallowed in a doctor's office, and does not block telehealth prescribing of medication abortion. In practice, telehealth medication abortion is available to Virginia residents from both in-state and out-of-state providers under protective laws in other states.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-72"}]},"self_managed":{"title":"Woman not prosecutable; legal gray area","summary":"Virginia's abortion statute (§ 18.2-71) targets a person who administers drugs to 'a woman' with intent to destroy 'her unborn child,' not the woman herself; no reported prosecution of a pregnant woman for self-managing abortion.","description":"Under Virginia's criminal abortion law, the person who faces criminal liability is the person who gives drugs or uses other means on the woman — not the woman herself. The statute says 'if any person administer to, or cause to be taken by a woman, any drug ... with intent to destroy her unborn child.' This language, using 'he' and 'a woman' as separate actors, has been understood to exclude the pregnant woman from prosecution for the abortion crime itself. Virginia has had at least one high-profile case — in 2017, a Chesterfield County woman was charged with child neglect after an alleged self-induced abortion — but the charges were ultimately dropped. The partial birth infanticide statute (§ 18.2-71.1(F)) expressly says the mother may not be prosecuted. The fetal homicide statute (§ 18.2-32.2) uses the word 'unlawfully,' which arguably excludes lawful abortions, but provides no express mother exemption.","verification":"verified","confidence":"medium","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71"},{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71.1"}]}},"actors":{"who_may_perform":{"title":"Physicians and APRNs; APRNs first trimester only","summary":"First-trimester abortion may be performed by any licensed physician or jointly licensed APRN; second- and third-trimester abortion requires a physician.","description":"In the first trimester (the first ~13 weeks of pregnancy), either a licensed physician or an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who is jointly licensed by the Boards of Medicine and Nursing may perform an abortion. In the second and third trimesters, only a physician may perform the procedure. There is no requirement that abortion providers have hospital admitting privileges.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-72"}]},"criminal_civil_exposure":{"pregnant_woman":{"title":"Expressly exempt from partial-birth ban; not targeted by general statute","summary":"The pregnant woman is not the subject of § 18.2-71's prohibition; § 18.2-71.1(F) expressly exempts her from prosecution; no reported case of a woman prosecuted under the abortion statutes.","description":"Virginia's criminal abortion law is written to punish the person who performs the abortion, not the pregnant woman. The statute talks about someone giving drugs 'to a woman' to destroy 'her unborn child,' which means the woman is not the one the law is targeting. The partial-birth abortion ban explicitly says the mother cannot be prosecuted. Even the fetal homicide law talks about killing 'the fetus of another,' which implies the pregnant woman is not the target. In practice, no woman has ever been convicted under Virginia's abortion laws for obtaining or self-managing an abortion. A 2017 case where a woman was charged with child neglect after an alleged self-induced abortion ended with charges dropped.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71.1"},{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-32.2"}]},"physician":{"title":"Class 4 felony; license consequences possible","summary":"A physician who performs an unlawful abortion faces Class 4 felony charges (2-10 years, fine up to $100,000) and potential Board of Medicine discipline.","description":"If a physician performs an abortion outside the lawful pathways described in the statute — for example, performing a third-trimester abortion without the required certifications or without being in a hospital — they face a Class 4 felony, which carries 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. The Virginia Board of Medicine can also take disciplinary action, including license revocation, against a doctor who performs an illegal abortion. For the partial-birth procedure ban, the penalty is also a Class 4 felony.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71"},{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter1/section18.2-10"}]},"prescriber_pharmacist":{"title":"APRN prescribers liable same as physicians","summary":"Non-physician APRNs who provide abortion outside lawful first-trimester bounds face the same Class 4 felony exposure as physicians; pharmacists filling out-of-state abortion prescriptions face no distinct Virginia abortion penalty.","description":"APRNs are authorized to provide abortion in the first trimester only; if they provide abortion care outside that authorized period or otherwise violate the statute, they face the same Class 4 felony penalty as a physician. Pharmacists who fill prescriptions for abortion medication — including those written by out-of-state providers via telehealth — are not addressed by a separate Virginia abortion statute. Pharmacists are subject to standard Board of Pharmacy professional standards, but dispensing FDA-approved medication pursuant to a valid prescription is not independently criminalized under Virginia's abortion laws.","verification":"verified","confidence":"medium","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-72"}]},"nurses_and_staff":{"title":"Accomplice liability possible","summary":"Nurses, medical assistants, and clinic staff who aid an unlawful abortion could face accomplice liability under Virginia's general complicity statute, though no reported prosecutions exist.","description":"Clinic staff — nurses, medical assistants, counselors, and others — who help with an abortion that turns out to be unlawful could theoretically be charged as accomplices under Virginia's general complicity law. In practice, no Virginia nurse or clinic staff member has been prosecuted under this theory, and the risk is low in the context of abortions that are lawful under the statute.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"low","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter1/section18.2-18"}]},"other_helpers":{"title":"Encouraging/promoting abortion a misdemeanor","summary":"Va. Code § 18.2-76.1 makes it a Class 3 misdemeanor to encourage or promote a prohibited abortion by publication or referral, but the statute is constitutionally suspect under Bigelow v. Virginia.","description":"Virginia has a law on the books making it a Class 3 misdemeanor to encourage or promote an abortion that is illegal under state law — for example, through advertising or a paid referral service. This law was struck down in part by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bigelow v. Virginia (1975), which said a newspaper could not be punished for running a truthful ad about out-of-state legal abortion services. The statute remains in the code but has not been enforced in decades and likely violates the First Amendment as applied to any truthful speech. A non-profit that funds abortion care or an employer that reimburses travel for abortion is not directly targeted by this or any other Virginia statute.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/va/title-18-2-crimes-and-offenses-generally/va-code-sect-18-2-76-1"},{"name":"Justia Supreme Court","href":"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/421/809"}]}}},"aiding_and_assisting":{"travel_assistance":{"title":"No travel ban or trafficking law","summary":"Virginia has no 'abortion trafficking' statute or any law criminalizing assistance with travel to obtain an out-of-state abortion; residents may freely travel for abortion care.","description":"Virginia does not have a law that makes it a crime to help someone travel — whether in-state or out of state — for an abortion. Unlike states such as Idaho and Tennessee, Virginia has not enacted an 'abortion trafficking' statute. A parent can take a minor out of state for an abortion without facing a new Virginia criminal charge, though helping a minor evade Virginia's parental consent law by taking her out of state could raise other legal questions not yet tested in Virginia courts.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"funding":{"title":"No liability for funding lawful abortion","summary":"Virginia imposes no criminal or civil liability on individuals or organizations that pay for lawful abortion or abortion-related travel; abortion funds operate openly in the state.","description":"No Virginia law makes it a crime to pay for someone's abortion or to donate to an organization that funds abortion care and travel. Abortion funds — nonprofit organizations that help people pay for the procedure, transportation, lodging, and child care — operate openly throughout Virginia. Employers may also cover abortion care and travel expenses in their health plans without legal exposure under Virginia law.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"mailing_pills":{"title":"No Virginia ban on mailing pills","summary":"Virginia has no statute prohibiting the mailing or receiving of abortion medication; federal Comstock Act questions remain unresolved but have not been applied to Virginia-specific conduct.","description":"Virginia does not prohibit sending or receiving abortion medication by mail. There is no Virginia law that bans mailing mifepristone or misoprostol into the state, and no state official has attempted to enforce any such ban. The federal Comstock Act is a dormant 19th-century federal statute that some argue prohibits mailing abortion-related items, but it has not been enforced in the modern era and its application to FDA-approved medications is vigorously contested.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"providing_information":{"title":"Statute on books, constitutionally unenforceable","summary":"Va. Code § 18.2-76.1 criminalizes encouraging or promoting a prohibited abortion, but the Supreme Court in Bigelow v. Virginia struck down its application to truthful speech; First Amendment likely bars enforcement.","description":"Virginia still has a law making it a Class 3 misdemeanor to encourage or promote an abortion that is illegal under Virginia law. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down this law in 1975 in Bigelow v. Virginia, holding that truthful advertising about legal abortion services is protected by the First Amendment. Since then, nobody has been prosecuted under this law, and it is almost certainly unenforceable against anyone providing truthful information about abortion, including websites, hotlines, or referral services.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Justia Supreme Court","href":"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/421/809"}]},"civil_bounty":{"title":"No civil bounty law","summary":"Virginia has no SB8-style private civil enforcement mechanism; individuals cannot sue abortion providers or helpers for damages.","description":"Virginia has not adopted any law like the Texas SB8 that allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps someone get an abortion. There is no civil bounty mechanism in Virginia.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"}},"procedural_requirements":{"waiting_period":{"title":"No waiting period","summary":"Virginia eliminated its 24-hour mandatory waiting period in 2020 with the Reproductive Health Protection Act; no mandatory delay now exists.","description":"There is no mandatory waiting period in Virginia. A person can have an abortion on the same day as their initial appointment. The 24-hour waiting period that previously existed was repealed in 2020.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia LIS","href":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20201/SB733"}]},"mandatory_counseling":{"title":"No state-scripted counseling","summary":"The 2020 Reproductive Health Protection Act eliminated state-scripted counseling; informed written consent is still required but without state-mandated content.","description":"Virginia requires that a person give informed written consent before an abortion, but the state no longer dictates exactly what the provider must say. Before 2020, the state required a script that included statements about fetal development and alternatives to abortion. Those requirements were repealed. Now, the provider must obtain the patient's informed written consent following the standard of care, but there is no government-prescribed script.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-76"}]},"ultrasound_requirement":{"title":"No ultrasound requirement","summary":"Virginia repealed its mandatory ultrasound requirement in 2020; no ultrasound is required by statute before an abortion.","description":"Virginia does not require a person to have an ultrasound before getting an abortion. The mandatory ultrasound law was repealed in 2020. A provider may still perform an ultrasound as part of their own medical practice, but the state does not compel it.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia LIS","href":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20201/SB733"}]},"in_person_visits":{"title":"One in-person visit","summary":"Because the waiting period and ultrasound requirements were repealed, only a single in-person visit is legally required for procedural abortion; medication abortion may be prescribed via telehealth.","description":"Virginia law requires only one in-person visit: the appointment where the abortion is performed and informed consent is documented. Because there is no mandatory waiting period or ultrasound requirement, no separate counseling visit is needed. Medication abortion can be prescribed via telehealth, so no in-person visit at all may be required for that method.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"}},"minors":{"parental_involvement":{"title":"Parental consent required; judicial bypass available","summary":"An unemancipated minor must obtain notarized written consent from an authorized person (parent, guardian, or adult with care and control) or a court order; exceptions exist for abuse/neglect and medical emergency.","description":"In Virginia, if a person under 18 wants an abortion and is not emancipated, they must get notarized written permission from a parent, legal guardian, or an adult who has care and control of them and with whom they live (like a grandparent or adult sibling). If they cannot or do not want to ask for permission — for example, because of abuse at home — they can go to a juvenile court and ask a judge for permission instead (this is called judicial bypass). There are exceptions: no consent is needed if the minor reports abuse or neglect and the doctor reports it to child protective services, or if there is a medical emergency.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title16.1/chapter11/section16.1-241"}]},"judicial_bypass":{"title":"Judicial bypass: mature minor or best interests","summary":"A minor who elects not to seek parental consent may petition the juvenile court; the judge must authorize the abortion if the minor is mature and well-informed or if the abortion is in her best interest; expedited timeline and appeal guarantee.","description":"A minor can go to a juvenile and domestic relations district court and ask a judge for permission to have an abortion without telling a parent. The judge must approve the abortion if either the minor is mature enough and well-informed enough to make the decision on her own, or if the abortion is in her best interest. The court must hear and decide the case within four days of filing. If the judge says no, the minor can appeal to circuit court, which must decide within five days. If either court misses its deadline, the abortion is automatically authorized. The entire process is confidential, no filing fees can be charged, and the minor has the right to a free court-appointed lawyer.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title16.1/chapter11/section16.1-241"}]}},"paternal_spousal_rights":{"consent_or_notice_laws":{"title":"No spousal or paternal consent law","summary":"Virginia has no statute on the books requiring spousal or paternal consent or notice for an abortion.","description":"Virginia does not require a husband's or the biological father's permission or notification for an abortion. No such law exists in the Virginia Code.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"enforceability":{"title":"Not applicable — no law to enforce","summary":"Since Virginia has no spousal or paternal consent/notice statute, Planned Parenthood v. Danforth and Planned Parenthood v. Casey raise no enforceability question.","description":"There is no spousal or paternal consent law in Virginia, so there is nothing to enforce or challenge.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"other_paternal_rights":{"title":"Father has no veto; wrongful death standing for mother only","summary":"The biological father has no legal right to block or be notified of an abortion; the fetal wrongful death action is vested solely in the natural mother.","description":"A biological father in Virginia has no legal right to prevent or be told about an abortion. Under Virginia's wrongful death law, only the 'natural mother' can sue for the wrongful death of a fetus — the father cannot bring such a claim. Virginia has no putative father registry that affects abortion decisions.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter3/section8.01-50"}]}},"fetal_personhood":{"fetal_homicide_law":{"title":"Fetal homicide: felony; 'unlawful' killing required","summary":"Virginia criminalizes killing 'the fetus of another' as a Class 2 felony for premeditated killing or 5-40 years for deliberate/malicious killing, but only for 'unlawful' acts, implicitly excluding lawful abortion.","description":"Virginia has a fetal homicide law that makes it a serious felony to kill a fetus. The law applies when someone kills 'the fetus of another' — meaning a third party who attacks a pregnant woman. The statute applies at any stage of pregnancy. The law uses the word 'unlawfully,' which means that lawful medical procedures — including lawful abortions — are not covered. The pregnant woman is not the target; the law covers only killing 'the fetus of another,' not the woman's own fetus. This law does not apply to abortion providers acting within the lawful pathways.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-32.2"}]},"wrongful_death":{"title":"Fetal wrongful death action from conception","summary":"Virginia permits the natural mother to bring a civil wrongful death action for a fetal death caused by a wrongful act, defined from conception onward; only the mother may sue.","description":"If someone's wrongful act causes the death of a fetus at any stage of pregnancy — from conception onward — the pregnant woman can sue for damages under Virginia's wrongful death law. This does not apply to a lawful abortion. Only the mother can bring this type of lawsuit. The father has no standing to sue for fetal wrongful death in Virginia.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter3/section8.01-50"}]},"personhood_definition":{"title":"No general fetal personhood definition","summary":"Virginia has no constitutional or statutory provision generally defining 'person,' 'human being,' or 'child' to include the unborn for all purposes; fetal homicide and wrongful death apply in specific contexts.","description":"Virginia does not have a general law declaring that a fetus is a 'person' with the same rights as a born human being. The fetal homicide law and the wrongful death law give specific, limited legal recognition to the fetus for particular purposes — criminal punishment of third-party violence and civil damages. These do not create general fetal personhood and do not override the abortion laws.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"contradictions_analysis":"Virginia's legal regime contains a significant internal tension between its permissive abortion framework and its fetal-protection statutes. On one hand, the Code permits abortion for any reason through the second trimester (~27 weeks), treats the woman as outside the reach of the criminal abortion statute, and has systematically repealed restrictions (waiting period, ultrasound, TRAP licensing) to reduce barriers. On the other hand, the same Code treats the fetus as a homicide victim 'regardless of the duration of pregnancy' when killed by a third party (Va. Code § 18.2-32.2, as construed in Lawrence v. Commonwealth), and permits a wrongful death action from conception onward (Va. Code § 8.01-50(B)). The contradiction is managed — but not resolved — by the word 'unlawfully' in the fetal homicide statute, which implicitly excludes lawful abortion. But the underlying moral logic is contradictory: the law says a fetus at 8 weeks is sufficiently a 'victim' for a third party's homicide conviction and the mother's civil damages, yet the same fetus may be lawfully aborted for any reason at the mother's request. This is not unique to Virginia — many states with fetal homicide laws and permissive abortion regimes share this tension — but Virginia's juxtaposition is particularly stark given that the wrongful death action attaches from conception (not viability) while abortion is legal through 27 weeks. The 2026 constitutional amendment ballot measure, which would create a 'fundamental right to reproductive freedom,' would deepen this tension if adopted."},"telehealth_and_interstate":{"telehealth_prescribing":{"title":"Telehealth prescribing permitted","summary":"Virginia does not restrict telehealth prescribing of medication abortion; no in-person requirement exists for mifepristone or misoprostol.","description":"Abortion medication can be prescribed through telehealth in Virginia. There is no law requiring an in-person visit before getting abortion pills. A Virginia resident can have a video or phone visit with a provider — including an out-of-state provider — and receive a prescription for abortion medication.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"},"out_of_state_travel":{"title":"Out-of-state travel unrestricted","summary":"Virginia residents may freely travel out of state for abortion; no Virginia statute criminalizes or restricts such travel.","description":"There is nothing in Virginia law that prevents a resident from traveling to another state for an abortion. Virginia does not try to reach conduct that happens outside its borders.","verification":"not_applicable","confidence":"high"},"shield_or_hostile_laws":{"title":"No shield law; hostile bills vetoed","summary":"Virginia has no shield law protecting providers or patients from other states' investigations; shield-law bills in 2024 were vetoed by Governor Youngkin; new bills may be viable under Governor Spanberger.","description":"Virginia does not currently have a 'shield law' — a law designed to protect abortion providers and patients from legal actions originating in other states (such as extradition requests, subpoenas, or professional license actions). Bills that would have created such protections were passed by the General Assembly in 2024 but vetoed by then-Governor Glenn Youngkin. With the election of Governor Abigail Spanberger in November 2025 (taking office January 2026), new shield legislation may have better prospects.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"medium"}},"funding_and_insurance":{"medicaid":{"title":"Hyde-only plus fetal anomaly","summary":"Virginia Medicaid covers abortion in cases of life endangerment, rape, incest (with law enforcement reporting), and where the fetus has an incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency.","description":"Virginia's Medicaid program covers abortion in the same limited circumstances as the federal Hyde Amendment: when the pregnancy threatens the woman's life, or when it results from rape or incest that was reported to law enforcement. In addition, Virginia goes slightly beyond Hyde by covering abortion when a physician certifies that the fetus has a severe incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency.","verification":"verified","confidence":"high","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title32.1/chapter3/section32.1-92.1"},{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title32.1/chapter3/section32.1-92.2"}]},"private_insurance":{"title":"No coverage ban; exchange ban repealed","summary":"Virginia does not prohibit private insurance plans from covering abortion; the 2021 repeal of the exchange-plan coverage ban means ACA marketplace plans may now cover abortion.","description":"Private health insurance plans in Virginia may cover abortion. There is no state law that bans or limits abortion coverage in private plans. In 2021, Virginia repealed a previous law that had prohibited ACA marketplace health plans from covering abortion. Now, exchange plans may include abortion coverage, though individual insurers decide whether to offer it.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"},"exchange_plans":{"title":"Exchange plans may cover abortion","summary":"Since 2021, ACA marketplace plans in Virginia are not prohibited from covering abortion; whether a particular plan does cover it depends on the insurer.","description":"Virginia's ACA marketplace health plans can now include abortion coverage. The ban on abortion coverage in exchange plans was repealed in 2021. However, not all exchange plans actually cover it — it depends on the specific insurer and plan.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"high"},"state_funding_of_providers":{"title":"No defunding statute; mixed funding posture","summary":"Virginia does not have a statute defunding abortion providers from all state programs; state funds may flow to providers for non-abortion services.","description":"Virginia does not have a law that broadly cuts off all state funding to organizations that provide abortions. Providers like Planned Parenthood can receive state funds for non-abortion services like family planning, cancer screenings, and STI testing. There is no Texas-style family planning defunding program in Virginia.","verification":"semi_verified","confidence":"medium"}}},"penalties":[{"actor":"Physician (unlawful abortion)","offense":"Producing abortion or miscarriage outside lawful pathways, Va. Code § 18.2-71","penalty":"Class 4 felony: 2–10 years imprisonment, fine up to $100,000","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71"},{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter1/section18.2-10"}]},{"actor":"Physician (partial birth infanticide)","offense":"Knowingly performing partial birth infanticide, Va. Code § 18.2-71.1(A)","penalty":"Class 4 felony: 2–10 years imprisonment, fine up to $100,000","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71.1"}]},{"actor":"APRN (abortion beyond first trimester)","offense":"Producing abortion or miscarriage outside lawful first-trimester pathway, Va. Code § 18.2-71","penalty":"Class 4 felony: 2–10 years imprisonment, fine up to $100,000","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71"}]},{"actor":"Provider (failure to obtain informed consent)","offense":"Failure to obtain informed written consent, Va. Code § 18.2-76(H)","penalty":"Civil penalty only (not criminal)","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-76"}]},{"actor":"Any person (encouraging/promoting prohibited abortion)","offense":"Encouraging or promoting prohibited abortion, Va. Code § 18.2-76.1","penalty":"Class 3 misdemeanor: fine only (max $500)","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"FindLaw","href":"https://codes.findlaw.com/va/title-18-2-crimes-and-offenses-generally/va-code-sect-18-2-76-1"}]},{"actor":"Person falsely signing minor's authorization","offense":"Knowingly and willfully signing false authorization for minor's abortion, Va. Code § 16.1-241(W)","penalty":"Class 3 misdemeanor: fine only (max $500)","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title16.1/chapter11/section16.1-241"}]},{"actor":"Pregnant woman","offense":"No criminal offense under Virginia abortion statutes (exempted)","penalty":"None","verification":"verified","sources":[{"name":"Virginia Law (LIS)","href":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71.1"}]}],"recent_changes":[{"date":"2022-06-24","event":"The U.S. Supreme Court decided Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade. Virginia's abortion statutes, which already contained their own lawful pathways, remained independently enforceable without federal constitutional overlay.","sources":[{"name":"U.S. Supreme Court","href":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf"}]},{"date":"2020-04-09","event":"Governor Ralph Northam signed the Reproductive Health Protection Act (SB 733/HB 980), repealing the 24-hour waiting period, mandatory ultrasound, TRAP facility licensing, state-scripted informed consent, and physician-only requirement for first-trimester medication abortion; expanded first-trimester provision to APRNs.","sources":[{"name":"Virginia LIS","href":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20201/SB733"}]},{"date":"2020-07-28","event":"Falls Church Medical Center v. Oliver was voluntarily dismissed on appeal in the Fourth Circuit, leaving the district court's September 30, 2019 ruling (which struck down the second-trimester hospital requirement) in an uncertain procedural posture.","sources":[{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/cases/falls-church-healthcare-center-et-al-v-norman-oliver-et-al"}]},{"date":"2019-09-30","event":"U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson struck down Virginia's second-trimester hospital requirement as unconstitutional in Falls Church Medical Center, LLC v. Oliver, and upheld other challenged restrictions (physician-only law, TRAP licensing, mandatory ultrasound, waiting period — most of which were later repealed legislatively).","sources":[{"name":"Center for Reproductive Rights","href":"https://reproductiverights.org/cases/falls-church-healthcare-center-et-al-v-norman-oliver-et-al"}]},{"date":"2021-03-31","event":"Governor Northam signed HB 1896/SB 1276, repealing the prohibition on abortion coverage in qualified health insurance plans sold through Virginia's health benefits exchange, effective July 1, 2021.","sources":[{"name":"Virginia LIS","href":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20212/HB1896"}]},{"date":"2024-04-05","event":"Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed four reproductive health shield-law bills (including SB 16 and SB 1098), preventing Virginia from adopting protections for providers and patients against out-of-state investigations.","sources":[{"name":"Planned Parenthood","href":"https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-advocates-virginia-inc/press-releases/governor-glenn-youngkin-vetoes-four-reproductive-health-care-bills"}]},{"date":"2025-01-15","event":"The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate passed HJ 1/SJ 247, the first legislative passage of a constitutional amendment to establish a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, sending it to the 2026 session for a required second passage before going to voters in November 2026.","sources":[{"name":"Virginia LIS","href":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HJ1"}]},{"date":"2025-03-24","event":"Governor Youngkin signed SB 754, amending the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to prohibit businesses from obtaining or disclosing personally identifiable reproductive or sexual health information without consumer consent, effective July 1, 2025.","sources":[{"name":"Virginia LIS","href":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB754"}]}],"pending_changes":[{"name":"Virginia Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment (2026)","type":"ballot_measure","status":"Passed first legislative passage (2025); requires second passage in 2026 General Assembly before November 3, 2026 ballot.","effect":"If adopted by voters, the Virginia Constitution would be amended to add Article I, § 11-A, establishing a 'fundamental right to reproductive freedom' including decisions about 'prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and infertility care.' The amendment would permit regulation of abortion in the third trimester except where medically indicated to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual. This would constitutionally entrench Virginia's current abortion-access posture and likely invalidate any future legislative efforts to restrict abortion before the third trimester.","sources":[{"name":"Virginia LIS","href":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HJ1"},{"name":"Ballotpedia","href":"https://ballotpedia.org/Virginia_Right_to_Reproductive_Freedom_Amendment_(2026)"}]},{"name":"Falls Church Medical Center v. Oliver — post-dismissal effect of injunction","type":"litigation","status":"No active proceeding; the district court's 2019 injunction striking the second-trimester hospital requirement was never reviewed on appeal; its continued enforceability is legally uncertain.","effect":"If a new administration or prosecutor sought to enforce the hospital requirement in § 18.2-73, litigation would likely revisit whether the district court's 2019 injunction survived the voluntary dismissal of the appeal and whether the statute is constitutional post-Dobbs."},{"name":"2026 Shield Law Legislation (anticipated)","type":"legislation","status":"With Governor Spanberger's election and continuing Democratic majorities, new shield-law bills are expected in the 2026 session.","effect":"Would prohibit Virginia agencies from cooperating with out-of-state abortion investigations, bar extradition for abortion-related charges, and protect Virginia-licensed providers from adverse actions by other states."}],"key_authorities":[{"name":"Va. Code § 18.2-71","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-71","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71","why":"Baseline criminal prohibition: Class 4 felony for producing abortion or miscarriage, which all other abortion provisions build from."},{"name":"Va. Code §§ 18.2-72, 18.2-73, 18.2-74","citation":"Va. Code Ann. §§ 18.2-72, 18.2-73, 18.2-74","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-72","why":"The three lawful pathways: first trimester (physician or APRN), second trimester (physician in hospital), third trimester (physician in hospital with three-physician certification of life/health endangerment)."},{"name":"Va. Code § 18.2-71.1","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-71.1","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-71.1","why":"Partial birth infanticide/D&X ban, with express exclusion of D&E and express mother exemption."},{"name":"Va. Code § 18.2-76","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-76","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-76","why":"Informed written consent requirement; previously contained waiting period and ultrasound mandate, now stripped to basic consent."},{"name":"Va. Code § 18.2-76.1","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-76.1","type":"statute","url":"https://codes.findlaw.com/va/title-18-2-crimes-and-offenses-generally/va-code-sect-18-2-76-1","why":"Encouraging or promoting prohibited abortion — Class 3 misdemeanor; largely unenforceable after Bigelow v. Virginia (1975)."},{"name":"Va. Code § 16.1-241(W)","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-241(W)","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title16.1/chapter11/section16.1-241","why":"Parental consent and judicial bypass framework for minors."},{"name":"Va. Code § 18.2-32.2","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-32.2","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-32.2","why":"Fetal homicide statute: killing 'fetus of another' is Class 2 felony or 5-40 years; 'unlawfully' element excludes lawful abortion."},{"name":"Va. Code § 8.01-50(B)","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-50(B)","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter3/section8.01-50","why":"Fetal wrongful death action vesting solely in the natural mother; applies from conception."},{"name":"Va. Code §§ 32.1-92.1, 32.1-92.2","citation":"Va. Code Ann. §§ 32.1-92.1, 32.1-92.2","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title32.1/chapter3/section32.1-92.1","why":"State Medicaid funding: Hyde categories (life, rape, incest) plus fetal anomaly — slightly broader than federal minimum."},{"name":"2020 Reproductive Health Protection Act","citation":"2020 Va. Acts chs. 898, 899","type":"statute","url":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20201/SB733","why":"Repealed waiting period, ultrasound, TRAP licensing, and state-scripted counseling; expanded first-trimester authority to APRNs."},{"name":"Falls Church Medical Center v. Oliver","citation":"Falls Church Medical Center, LLC v. Oliver, No. 3:18-cv-428 (E.D. Va. Sept. 30, 2019)","type":"case","url":"https://reproductiverights.org/cases/falls-church-healthcare-center-et-al-v-norman-oliver-et-al","why":"Struck down second-trimester hospital requirement; the sole federal ruling directly limiting a Virginia abortion restriction."},{"name":"Bigelow v. Virginia","citation":"Bigelow v. Virginia, 421 U.S. 809 (1975)","type":"case","url":"https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/421/809","why":"U.S. Supreme Court invalidated Virginia's prohibition on encouraging/promoting abortion as applied to truthful advertising about lawful services."},{"name":"Va. Code § 18.2-75","citation":"Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-75","type":"statute","url":"https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-75","why":"Conscience clause: no person or hospital with written objection shall be required to participate in abortion procedures."},{"name":"HJ 1 / SJ 247 — Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment","citation":"HJ 1, 2026 Va. Gen. Assembly","type":"ballot_measure","url":"https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HJ1","why":"Proposed constitutional amendment on November 2026 ballot to create fundamental right to reproductive freedom including abortion."}],"research_notes":{"overall_confidence":"high","editor_notes":"Before publication, verify (1) the full text of §§ 32.1-92.1, 32.1-92.2, and 18.2-32.2 at the official Virginia LIS website (law.lis.virginia.gov); (2) the Fourth Circuit docket in Falls Church Medical Center v. Oliver (No. 19-2382) to confirm whether the court's order dismissing the appeal vacated the district court judgment; (3) the status of any 2026 shield-law legislation; (4) the ballot language of the November 2026 constitutional amendment as certified by the State Board of Elections; and (5) any new Attorney General opinions from Jay Jones (who took office January 2026) regarding enforcement of abortion restrictions.","gaps":["The post-dismissal effect of the Falls Church district court injunction on the second-trimester hospital requirement is uncertain; no Virginia court or official has addressed it since the July 2020 voluntary dismissal of the appeal","The full text of Va. Code § 32.1-92.2 (fetal anomaly Medicaid funding) was not verified at the primary source; the section header was confirmed but the full body text was not retrieved","Whether the Virginia Supreme Court would construe § 18.2-71 to reach a woman who self-manages an abortion using pills has not been directly tested","The precise status of the mifepristone REMS and any effect on Virginia telehealth prescribing is subject to ongoing federal litigation as of mid-2025","The 2026 legislative session and new gubernatorial administration may produce shield-law legislation or other changes that would materially alter this analysis"]}}