{"id":317730,"date":"2024-08-26T10:44:22","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T15:44:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=317730"},"modified":"2024-09-04T13:35:28","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T18:35:28","slug":"former-austin-city-council-member-abortion-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/former-austin-city-council-member-abortion-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite lawsuit, City of Austin will move forward with funding abortion travel"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Update 9\/3\/2024<\/strong>: The City of Austin is moving ahead<\/a> with the allocation of taxpayer dollars to pay for citizens to travel for abortion.<\/p>\n

“What we know with the budget that we just approved, and I just talked to our city legal this morning, is we will continue to move forward with the implementation of our Reproductive Justice Fund,” Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said in a press conference on Thursday, speaking to a CBS Austin reporter. “We anticipate in the spring, we will have an open solicitation process to partner with local nonprofits in providing assistance, and logistical support for Austinites needing abortion care out-of-state.”<\/p>\n

The news comes on the heels of a lawsuit to try to stop the use of taxpayer funds to pay for abortion travel and the Council’s announcement that it approved a resolution to label abortion as a human right.<\/p>\n

8\/26\/2024<\/strong>: A former city council member in Austin, Texas, is suing the city for a second time over its plans to allocate taxpayer funds for its citizens to travel for abortion.<\/p>\n

Former City Council Member Don Zimmerman filed the lawsuit August 20, arguing that it is against state law to \u201cspend taxpayer dollars on abortion-assistance activities.\u201d The suit also contends<\/a> that the city violated the state’s gift clause<\/a>, which prohibits cities from giving money to private individuals unless there is a public purpose.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit comes after the city council voted August 14<\/a> to earmark $500,000 in its budget for \u201cReproductive Health-Logistical Support,\u201d which would cover the cost of abortion travel expenses, even going so far as to pay for a companion to travel with the abortion-minded woman. Texas state law currently protects nearly all preborn children from abortion.<\/p>\n

\u201cAny use of taxpayer money inside Texas to procure a drug-induced abortion violates (state law), even if the abortion is being procured outside the state,\u201d the lawsuit reads<\/a>.<\/p>\n

READ: Austin City Council votes to use half a million in taxpayer dollars for citizens\u2019 abortion travel<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Zimmerman previously sued the city in 2019 after it allocated $150,000 to fund programs that provide transportation, lodging, and childcare for women seeking abortion. According to the Austin Monitor<\/a>, he lost that lawsuit after\u00a0a Travis County district judge ruled against him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe City is aware of Mr. Zimmerman\u2019s amended lawsuit in response to the recent budget allocation for logistical support services,” Meghan Riley, the city’s litigation division chief, said in a statement to the American-Statesman<\/a>. “We have successfully litigated this issue in the past and will respond to the recent allegations through the appropriate court channels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Austin City Council members appear optimistic in defending their budget.<\/p>\n

“Efforts to obstruct reproductive freedom in Texas are nothing new or surprising,” Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who introduced the abortion funding budget amendment, told the American-Statesman<\/a>. “I remain fully committed to defending our reproductive rights here in our home city. As far as I\u2019m concerned, our resolve remains unchanged.\u201d<\/p>\n

Urge Walmart, Costco, Kroger, and other major chains to resist pressure to dispense the abortion pill<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Update 9\/3\/2024: The City of Austin is moving ahead with the allocation of taxpayer dollars to pay for citizens to travel for abortion. “What we know with the budget that we just approved, and I just talked to our city legal this morning, is we will continue to move forward with the implementation of our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":607,"featured_media":270536,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[3473,11],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nDespite lawsuit, City of Austin will move forward with funding abortion travel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Despite a lawsuit, the City of Austin announced it's moving forward with a plan to use taxpayer dollars to fund abortion travel for citizens.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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