The battle over funding abortion travel is back in San Antonio
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The San Antonio City Council could soon vote on funding travel to out-of-state abortion services, amid an effort at the Texas Legislature to bar cities from doing so.
Why it matters: It's another example of a blue city vs. red state battle taking shape over abortion policy in Texas.
Zoom out: State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) introduced Senate Bill 730 last month. It would prohibit cities from funding, or offering logistical support, to abortion assistance groups.
Catch up quick: In 2023, the City Council approved a $500,000 reproductive justice fund in the city's budget. Anti-abortion groups sued the city over it, saying the intent of the fund was to give public money to groups paying for abortion-related travel.
- The money, administered by the city's health department, was also for testing for sexually transmitted infections, reproductive health training and more.
- In November, after a Bexar County judge had tossed out the lawsuit, the city approved contracts for the reproductive justice fund. None were for abortion-related travel.
Zoom in: District 6 Councilmember and mayoral candidate Melissa Cabello Havrda, along with four other councilmembers, issued a memo in November asking for more money for the fund — this time with the aim of funding travel to abortions.
The latest: A majority of the Council's Community Health Committee voted Friday to approve another $100,000 from Metro Health's budget for the reproductive justice fund, restricted to the original 10 applicants from last time.
- That means two applicants who included abortion travel as elements of their broader funding proposal but were denied funding last year — Beat AIDS Coalition Trust and Parenting Plus — will likely be eligible for funds when the council votes this time around.
Between the lines: Liz Provencio, with the City Attorney's Office, said the city will monitor the progression of Campbell's bill and comply with it if passed.
What they're saying: "We must close loopholes that allow cities like Austin and San Antonio to misuse taxpayer funds in ways that undermine our state's pro-life policies," Campbell, who also represents parts of North San Antonio, told the Texan.
The other side: "Such a measure not only undermines local authority but also poses a direct threat to the public safety, health and autonomy of our residents," Cabello Havrda said in a statement condemning the bill.
The bottom line: With nearly half the City Council in support, there's bound to be another political showdown over how far San Antonio will go to test Republican lawmakers on the issue.