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Austin City Council to hold special meeting to discuss abortion access

The council is set to meet on Thursday, July 21, to discuss and potentially approve measures regarding abortions.

AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin City Council is set to hold a special meeting on Thursday, July 21, to consider resolutions regarding abortion access.

Among the resolutions is the "Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone" Act, commonly known as the GRACE Act. 

The special meeting comes almost a month after the Supreme Court issued an opinion on June 24, overturning Roe v. Wade and ending the constitutional right to abortion across the U.S. 

That same day, District 4 Councilmember José "Chito" Vela and District 2 Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes requested a special meeting to pass the GRACE Act. Since then, other councilmembers have expressed support for protecting abortion access at the local level.

RELATED: Austin councilmembers call for special meeting on abortion rights-based GRACE Act

Item 2 on the council's Thursday agenda, if passed, would prevent City funding from being used to catalog any reports of abortion, miscarriage or other health care acts. City funds would not be used to report evidence to any other government agencies unless such information is given to defend the patient's right to abortion or a health care provider's right to provide such care. Funds would also not be used for surveillance or to collect information on people concerning abortions. 

The resolution wouldn't provide any legal support to abortion seekers, but it would make having an abortion the lowest priority for enforcement.

Item 3 on the agenda "establishes equitable access to contraception as essential to family planning, reproductive freedom and public health." The resolution directs the city manager to explore the ability to conduct a public education program on long-term birth control, such as vasectomies, with the help of local health partners. 

The city manager in Item 3 is also directed to ensure that health insurance offered to City employees and spouses covers low-cost birth control. 

Meanwhile, Item 4 directs the city manager to address the feasibility of providing City employees with benefits, such as travel and accommodation expenses, to help make sure they have access to abortions and other reproductive services no longer available in the state. 

Item 1 on the special agenda is an ordinance amending City code chapters to prohibit discrimination based on reproductive health actions for housing, public accommodations, employment and employment by City contractors.

The council is also set to hold a press conference on abortion access after the special meeting on Thursday. The conference is set for 12 p.m. at Austin City Hall. 

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