State Law Approaches to Facility Regulation of Abortion and Other Office Interventions

This study uses policy surveillance to compare the prevalence and characteristics of facility laws governing abortions specifically targeted regulation of abortion providers (TRAP) laws; office-based surgeries, procedures, sedation or anesthesia (office interventions) generally (OBS laws); and other procedures.

The study finds that TRAP laws were more prevalent than OBS laws, or laws targeting other procedures. TRAP laws often regulated facilities that would not be regulated under OBS laws (e.g., all TRAP laws, but only two OBS laws, applied regardless of sedation or anesthesia used). TRAP laws imposed more numerous and more stringent requirements than OBS laws.

Review the legal maps associated with this study:

• TRAP Laws - Abortion Facility Licensing Requirements

• TRAP Laws - Ambulatory Surgical Center Requirements

• TRAP Laws - Hospitalization Requirements

• Office-based Surgery Laws