'Austin Will Not Be Complicit': Texas City Has Plan to Defend Abortion Rights
With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to reverse Roe v. Wade, the Austin City Council is working on a resolution to help protect abortion patients a...
With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to reverse Roe v. Wade, the Austin City Council is working on a resolution to help protect abortion patients and providers in the Texas city—a potential model for other U.S. communities where ending a pregnancy could be criminalized if the 1973 ruling is overturned.José "Chito" Vela, an attorney who represents District 4 after winning a special election earlier this year, is leading the council's plans for the Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone (GRACE) Act, which would effectively decriminalize the procedure by directing the Austin Police Department to make alleged crimes related to abortion its lowest priority and restricting the use of city funds and staff for investigations.