San Antonio City Council will vote Tuesday on resolution to protect abortion access

City council is expected to pass a resolution Tuesday that would provide limited  support for women who seek abortions, even though a Texas law is expected to almost completely outlaw the procedure next month. 

Beyond including symbolic language supporting abortion rights, the proposal would bar use of city funds to collect and share information on abortions, miscarriages or reproductive healthcare that other government agencies plan to use in criminal investigations. However, there would be an exception in cases where the city is “clearly required” to do so under state and federal law.

Six members of council, including Mayor Ron Nirenberg, appeared at Wednesday press conference supporting the resolution, suggesting it has the majority support needed to pass in Tuesday’s special meeting.

Texas’ so-called “trigger law” banning nearly all abortions is scheduled to go into effect Aug. 25. That law was enabled by the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, undoing nearly 50 years of federal abortion protections.

“[S]an Antonio must now seize the reins and do everything in its power to ensure our city’s resources are not used to harass individuals seeking abortion healthcare,” said District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo in an emailed statement. “Healthcare decisions are complex, personal matters, and our community should not be forced to look over their shoulder or travel out of state for access to medical services and treatments, including abortion.”

Castillo’s office penned the resolution, modeled after a similar measure passed unanimously last week by Austin’s city council, District 5 Communications Director Amador Salazar said. The councilwoman also worked with Nirenberg’s office and city staff to bolster the language in the resolution, Salazar added.

“The overturning of Roe v. Wade is an attack on the health and independence of women, people of color and the disadvantaged. Access to health care, including abortion, is a human right,” Nirenberg said in a written statement. “We will continue to stand with San Antonio residents to support their rights to basic care.”

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This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 9, 2022.