The full City Council will have the final say over whether additional dollars are added. A date for a meeting hasn't been set.
San Antonio is inching closer to digging up $100,000 to pay travel expenses for women seeking out-of-state abortions. A majority of City Council members had supported using a $500,000 Reproductive Justice Fund for that purpose.
But council in November OK'd grant awards for reproductive health workshops, doula training, contraception and testing for sexually transmitted infections — which emptied the fund but provided nothing for abortion travel. The city's Metropolitan Health District had recommended the grant allocations. Four council members — led by Melissa Cabello Havrda, a mayoral candidate, and including Sukh Kaur, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, Phyllis Viagran and Teri Castillo — penned a policy memo in November pushing for another $100,000 in hopes the money would be spent on abortion-related travel. The council's Community Health Committee voted Friday to send the matter to the full City Council. A date for a meeting has yet to be set. “It’s our commitment as a city to support and respect the reproductive needs of our residents in a state where policymakers have dramatically impacted the health and safety of pregnant individuals,” Cabello Havrda told the committee before its vote. “Our proposed $100,000 fund can help nonprofits provide this access to safety.” READ MORE: 'German measles' case reported at Cibolo charter school Castillo, Kaur, Viagran and Adriana Rocha Garcia voted in support of adding the $100,000 and moving the issue to the full council. Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito was absent. Rocha Garcia is also running for mayor. The $100,000 would likely be pulled from the Metropolitan Health District's existing budget. District Director Claude Jacob said Friday he wasn't yet sure which programs would be effected. An initial attempt to send the matter to council for discussion failed in January when Rocha Garcia abstained and Alderete Gavito voted against it. Kaur was absent, leaving only Castillo and Viagran voting in support. Alderete Gavito at the time said she voted against adding the money because the discussion centered on using taxpayer dollars from the existing city budget — which she said was inappropriate, in part because of next year's projected budget deficit. READ MORE: City Council balks at giving up golf course for arena funding deal with county Cabello Havrda, who was out of town during last month’s meeting, took aim at her council colleagues when they didn’t support the effort in January. “While other cities fight to protect their residents, our city had an opportunity to lead—and instead, we turned our backs,” she said in a statement issued by her mayoral campaign. Senator targets abortion travel help Anti-abortion groups, including San Antonio Family Association and Texas Right to Life, sued the city over the fund late last year, but a Bexar County judge dismissed their lawsuit in April. The suit is now with the Fourth Court of Appeals. The groups filed the lawsuit under Texas Senate Bill 8, a near-total ban on abortion that took effect in 2021. The law allows private citizens to sue anyone they suspect of “aiding or abetting” a person seeking an abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy. City Attorney Andy Segovia said in April that it's still legal to provide travel assistance to women seeking legal, out-of-state abortions. But a new billed filed in January by state Sen. Donna Campbell would outlaw such efforts. Senate Bill 730 would expand state law's definition of an “abortion assistance entity” — which can be sued under the 2021 law — to include any person or organization that helps someone get an abortion by giving them food, lodging, transportation or other funds. If Campbell's bill becomes law after the city pledges money to organizations for abortion travel, Segovia said the city wouldn't be able to issue the dollars as planned but could redirect it to some other use.
Metropolitan Health District Community Health Committee Senate Texas Right To Life Fourth Court Of Appeals San Antonio Family Association Melissa Cabello Havrda Claude Jacob Sukh Kaur Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito Adriana Rocha Garcia Phyllis Viagran Donna Campbell Teri Castillo Andy Segovia Jalen Mckee-Rodriguez R San Antonio Castillo New Braunfels Bexar County Texas Bill 8 Reproductive Justice Fund $100 000 Viagran Bill 730
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
San Marcos trio will get their shine at San Antonio Sports All-Star Basketball GameThursday’s group will represent San Marcos High School, Marshall High School, Steele High School and Warren High School on March 23 at Northside Sports Gym.
Read more »
Get $100 for looking like Bad Bunny this weekend in San AntonioA look-alike contest will be at Curry Boys BBQ in Tobin Hill with a $100 prize up for grabs. All ages and genders are welcome: 'any bunny.'
Read more »
Jury issues more than $100 million verdict against CPS Energy in 2021 home gas explosionSAN ANTONIO - A San Antonio jury has issued a more than $100 million verdict against CPS Energy in connection to a gas explosion at an East Side home in May 202
Read more »
San Antonio Sports to announce new members of San Antonio Sports Hall of FameSan Antonio Sports will announce the newest members of the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame Tuesday afternoon.
Read more »
Volaris launches nonstop flights from San Antonio to Morelia, San Luis Potosi starting July 5San Antonio International Airport is expanding its flight options to Mexico with new nonstop routes to Morelia and San Luis Potosi on Volaris starting this summer.
Read more »
Measles exposure in San Antonio: Metro Health warns public to watch for symptomsSAN ANTONIO - San Antonio Metro Health confirms a person who was visiting San Antonio has tested positive for measles.The department is warning people who coul
Read more »