In a 10-0 vote, Austin City Council passed a resolution to decriminalize abortion in the state capital.
The resolution also asks law enforcement to make prosecuting abortion seekers and abortion providers their lowest priority.
And stops agencies from using city funds to investigate and collect information on any “abortion, miscarriage, and reproductive healthcare.”
“We have been working to #decriminalizeabortion since the day the decision was leaked,” Austin City Councilmember Chito Vela said in a tweet. “Nobody in Austin will be persecuted for their choices by the city.
The Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone Act puts Austin on the map as one of the first cities in the state to protect pregnant people’s access to abortion.
Although the resolution doesn’t require agencies to follow protocol, in June, Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza vowed not to prosecute abortion cases.
Other cities like Denton, Dallas, El Paso, and Houston are also working to pass resolutions to halt abortion seekers and abortion providers from facing criminal charges.
The resolution comes in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe and the state’s trigger law set to take effect 30 days after the court’s final judgment is released.
Notably, Texas’ current six-week abortion has forced pregnant Texans to drive out of the state to seek care since September 2021.
Earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court created a chilling effect among abortion providers and abortion seekers after they sided with the Texas Republicans in allowing a 1925 abortion ban to take effect.
Kennedy is a recent graduate of the University of St.Thomas in Houston where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Celt Independent. Kennedy brings her experience of writing about social justice issues to the Texas Signal where she serves as our Political Reporter. She does everything from covering crime beats, Texas politics, and community activism. Kennedy is a passionate reporter, avid reader, coffee enthusiast, and loves to travel.
