Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers: TRAP Laws

"TRAP" (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) laws regulate abortion practices by imposing burdensome requirements that are different and more stringent than regulations applied to comparable medical practices. These excessive and unnecessary regulations imposed by states are often referred to as “nuisance” laws. They affect women's health by reducing their access to abortion and they violate the rights of abortion providers. Data are not clear about how many providers have stopped offering abortions because of TRAP laws, but they clearly make it more difficult for abortion providers to conduct business and there are some suggestions that they are responsible for increasing the costs of abortion, thus making it less affordable for lower income women. About 33 states have TRAP laws that subject abortion providers to not applied to other medical professionals and about 25 of these states restrict the provision of abortion care—often even in the early stages of pregnancy—to hospitals or other specialized facilities. This presentation will discuss current state TRAP laws, which vary in nature and in the degree of burden they impose, their application to medical or surgical abortions, to whom and at what stage of pregnancy they apply, and whether they provide exemptions.