Austin Sued For Abortion Funding With Tax Dollars
Austin, Texas – Today, Texas Values (joined by others) filed a lawsuit against the City of Austin for its unlawful use of $250,000 in taxpayer money, which the City has used to give to support abortion services with taxpayer money (in violation of state law) to organizations like Jane’s Due Process, which helps minor girls receive an abortion without parental consent. Prior to the lawsuit, Texas Values has provided testimony to the Austin City Council expressing concern and opposition to these unlawful, political, and controversial uses of taxpayer money that support abortion.
The lawsuit alleges that the city’s expenditures are preempted by the state’s abortion laws, which impose criminal liability on anyone who “furnishes the means for procuring an abortion knowing the purpose intended.” The lawsuit also alleges that the city’s expenditures violate the state constitution’s gift clause, which prohibits transfers of public funds to private entities unless the payment serves a legitimate public purpose and affords a clear public benefit received in return.
Austin recently passed a budget that gives $250,000 in taxpayer money to organizations that provide travel, lodging, and other logistical support to pregnant women seeking to abort their unborn children. But the Texas Constitution prohibits cities from enacting ordinances that are “inconsistent” with the “general laws enacted by the Legislature of this State.” The “general laws enacted by the Legislature of this State” include the state’s pre–Roe v. Wade abortion statutes, which have never been repealed, and which continue to outlaw all abortions (and all conduct that aids or abets abortion) unless the mother’s life is in danger.
“Local governments that use taxpayer dollars to aid and abet abortions are committing a criminal act, and they can’t hide behind Roe v. Wade because there’s no constitutional right to taxpayer funding of abortion,“ said Jonathan Saenz, President of Texas Values.
View the lawsuit here.
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About Texas Values
Texas Values is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.