The Texas House on Thursday passed a bill restricting local governments from using public funds to support women seeking abortions.
Senate Bill 33, sponsored by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, specifies that taxpayer money may not be given to either abortion providers or "an abortion assistance entity." It also bans public funds from being used to offer help with childcare, travel, lodging or other types of "logistical support" for abortion seekers.
Republican Rep. Candy Noble of Lucas said Thursday that the bill "closes a perceived loophole" to make the state's legislative intent clear regarding taxpayer-funded travel to facilitate an abortion. SB 33 cleared its final hurdle in the House Thursday on a 87-58 vote.
Texas cities including Austin and San Antonio have set aside money to support organizations or individuals seeking out-of-state abortion care. Both cities attracted lawsuits from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has argued that the funds violate a clause in the Texas Constitution, as well as the state's abortion bans.
"I will not stand by while rogue cities use tax dollars to circumvent state law and take the innocent lives of unborn children," Paxton wrote in a statement after he sued the city of San Antonio in April.
Under SB 33, the state's attorney general and private citizens may bring a civil suit against cities who give financial assistance to abortion seekers.
Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who helped lead the city's effort to fund travel assistance for out-of-state abortion care through the city's Reproductive Logistical Fund, accused state leaders of choosing "control over care."
"SB 33 doesn't protect anyone, it only serves to punish cities that dare to stand up for their people," Fuentes said in a Thursday statement to KUT News. "It's shameful, it's wrong, and only deepens the reproductive health crisis Texans are already facing."
The bill was one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's priorities for the legislative session. After it passed the Senate in April, he said SB 33 would stop "rogue, liberal cities" from continuing to "skirt state law."
"The Senate's passage of SB 33 draws a line in the sand, prohibiting these cities from using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion-related travel to circumvent state law," he said.
SB 33 was tweaked by the House before its passage, so it'll now go back to the Senate for approval. If advanced by the Senate, it'll head to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk to be signed into law.
KUT's Luz Moreno-Lozano contributed additional reporting to this story.
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