The Austin, Texas, City Council approved legislation Thursday that limits funds for maintaining health records and urges law enforcement to ignore statewide abortion laws, The Hill reported.
A source informed the outlet that Austin's bid serves as an attempt to circumvent new restrictions on abortion in Texas that have taken effect since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month.
The Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone Act ''does not directly halt enforcement, but it severely limits the ability of the city or any staff to collect or provide evidence for prosecutions,'' a spokesperson for City Councilman José Vela said.
''It also preemptively bans surveillance of anyone, or anything related to suspected abortions outside of some limited exceptions, like coercion or force,'' the spokesperson added.
The GRACE Act, passed by the council in a special meeting this week, also includes funding for birth control options such as medically induced abortions, tubal ligation and vasectomies.
''Anti-choice legislators have weaponized the language of criminal law to stigmatize reproductive choice, and the Council considers the phrase 'abortion, miscarriage, or other reproductive healthcare acts' to accurately encompass all criminalized acts under Texas laws that seek to criminalize pregnancy outcomes,'' a draft resolution read.
City council members are mainly targeting Texas' 2021 heartbeat ban, which prohibits abortion after six weeks in almost all cases. The law also rewards individuals $10,000 for reporting health care providers that perform the procedure.
''Texas is a pro-life state, and we have taken significant action to protect the sanctity of life,'' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said on June 24. ''Texas has also prioritized supporting women's healthcare and expectant mothers in need to give them the necessary resources so that they can choose life for their child.''
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