AUSTIN, TEXAS
Abortion advocates said Thursday that Texas’ capital of Austin has become the first city in the nation to provide funding toward logistical services for abortion access.
The move comes as several states passed sweeping abortion bans this year, and after Planned Parenthood pulled out of a federal family planning program in opposition to a new Trump administration rule prohibiting clinics from referring women for abortions.
For Texas, which has passed some of the nation’s strictest anti-abortion laws, the Austin City Council voted on Tuesday to provide $150,000 of funding for transportation, lodging and childcare for local women seeking abortions. The money will not go directly toward the expense of undergoing the procedure.
Sarah Lopez, a program coordinator for Fund Texas Choice, said the action made “Austin the first city in the nation to provide practical support funding for residents seeking an abortion.”