Senate Bill 33 bans Texas cities from using money to help people seek out-of-state abortion care.
AUSTIN, Texas — State lawmakers are cutting the cord from cities and counties that help with costs for out-of-state abortion care, which has led the city of Austin to end its abortion travel fund.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 33 into law on Aug. 20, banning “transactions and logistical support” for abortion-related treatments.
Last year, Austin leaders signed off on a contract that granted $100,000 to Jane’s Due Process and Fund Texas Choice – two nonprofit organizations that help people get access to reproductive care.
The money, which was distributed through a reimbursement model, was part of the city’s approved Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget, which allocated a total of $400,000 to support its Reproductive Justice Fund.
Attorney General Ken Paxton then sued the city for what he called an “illegal use of public funding.”
“The reality is, in a political environment, when abortion bans are only increasing, anti-abortion extremists in the state are only adding barriers in the way of people that need access to abortion care,” said Jane’s Due Process Executive Director Lucie Arvalla.
Arvalla said between the two groups, $66,000 was used to help 29 people since January.
Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, who spearheaded the effort, called the end to the program a “disappointment.”
“[Texas lawmakers] sit on billions of dollars of surplus revenue, and instead of using those dollars to expand Medicaid or help fund reproductive health for Texans all over our state, they are more focused on taking away control, taking away services that we, at the local level, are funding in direct response to the very draconian laws that they’re passing,” said Fuentes.
Fuentes said with hundreds of thousands of dollars still left over, leaders will have to come up with a plan for what to do with that money.
Law or no law, Arvalla said the organization will continue offering services to help people seek abortion treatment out-of-state.
“We aren’t going anywhere,” Arvalla said. “So absolutely encourage folks to support their local abortion funds and reach out if you need that support.”
Members with Fund Texas Choice weren’t free for an interview Thursday, but Executive Director Anna Rupani released the following statement:
“We are disappointed that the City of Austin has ended its abortion practical support contract in compliance with SB 33. This law was designed as a direct attack on programs in Austin and San Antonio that were created to help Texans travel to their legal abortion care in the midst of devastating attacks on abortion and the bans that subsequently came. Ending this contract does not end the need – it just makes accessibility even harder. Texans are still calling our lines every day, seeking help with travel, food, lodging, childcare, and other practical needs. The city funding was created to support those most vulnerable – cutting off city support only makes it harder for people already navigating impossible barriers.
SB 33 is part of a broader extremist agenda to punish and isolate pregnant Texans. Abortion and practical support funds have survived HB 2, SB 8, the fall of Roe, and countless attacks, and we’re not going anywhere. Fund Texas Choice remains committed to helping our community access the abortion care they deserve. Texans deserve care – not punishment and cruelty.”
KVUE also reached out to State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), who authored the bill, but did not receive a response back at the time of publication.
