The City of San Antonio is currently being sued by a group of anti-abortion organizations for budgeting $500k of the city budget towards reproductive health services, such as potentially supporting transportation and lodging for individuals seeking out-of-state abortions.
This lawsuit comes after last month’s approval of a $3.7 billion dollar budget that seeks to allocate half a million dollars of its funds towards a “reproductive justice fund.” According to the Texas Tribune, the city has not yet said how the money will be used, but City Council members have utilized their hearings to voice their suggestions on how they think it should be spent.
Advocates for the reproductive justice fund have talked mostly about using the money to support health education, access to emergency contraception and testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
Other City Council members have also suggested that the money be used to support non-profit groups that help Texans receive abortions outside of Texas. The anti-abortion groups that filed the lawsuit do not support this suggestion, asking that a state district judge block the funds from being allocated to organizations such as this.
The San Antonio Family Association and Texas Right to Life serve as the primary co-plaintiffs of the case, but they are joined by several other anti-abortion groups, including Allied Women’s Center, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Texas Leadership Coalition, the Republican Party of Bexar County, the Bexar Conservatives and Unite San Antonio.
The lawsuit claims that abortion funds are “criminal organizations,” stating that “it is a criminal offense to engage in conduct in Texas that ‘procures’ a drug-induced abortion — even when the abortion is performed out of state — so long as the procuring conduct occurs within the state of Texas.”
KSAT reported that San Antonio City Council Attorney and city spokeswoman Andy Segovia said in an email statement that the premise of the lawsuit is “based on misinformation and false allegations,” since a decision has not been made on how the money will be used.
“The City Council will have an open work session to discuss the use of the funds that will be distributed in accordance with State and Federal Laws,” Segovia said.
