On April 3, the San Antonio City Council voted to fast-track $100,000 of taxpayer funds from the city’s 2025 budget to fund abortion travel. In response, on April 4, Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the City of San Antonio for this unlawful use of public money.
The city has been working on this decision for over a year. The city council’s initial effort to fund abortion logistics in violation of Texas law was halted when Texas Right to Life and other Pro-Life groups sued the city last year. In January, the city council chose not to allocate its $500,000 “Reproductive Justice Fund” to abortion logistics groups following legal challenges. Nevertheless, city officials, including Mayor Ron Nirenberg, repeatedly discussed sending money to anti-Life groups that pay for abortion expenses, such as transportation to other states. On Thursday, April 3, with a 6-5 vote, the city council followed through on their plans to fund abortion assistance organizations.
“The City of San Antonio is blatantly defying Texas law by using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion tourism,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Beyond being an egregious misuse of public funds, it’s an attack on the pro-life values of our state. I will not stand by while rogue cities use tax dollars to circumvent state law and take the innocent lives of unborn children.”
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San Antonio is not the first Texas city to give taxpayer money to abortion assistance organizations. The city of Austin began an abortion fund in 2019, partnering with Jane’s Due Process, a group known for illegally trafficking women and minors out of state for abortions. Austin approved a similar budget item in August of 2024, earmarking $400,000 for a “Reproductive Health-Logistical Support” fund. The city has already cut a check of $100,000 to Jane’s Due Process.
Austin and San Antonio’s decisions to fund abortion travel show a blatant disregard for the dignity of preborn babies and violate Texas Pro-Life protections. Forcing citizens to fund abortion through their tax dollars directly undermines their values and beliefs.
Texas Right to Life has partnered with our Pro-Life leaders in the Capitol to draft legislation that will stop San Antonio and Austin’s anti-Life efforts. You can help us pass this by urging your state lawmakers to pass these bills!
The Stop Tax-Funded Abortion Travel Act, Senate Bill 33 by Senator Campbell ((R—New Braunfels) and House Bill 1806 by Representative Noble (R—Lucas), will block liberal cities from using tax dollars to fund abortion-related expenses. Lawmakers likely not meet again until 2027, so it’s crucial that this Pro-Life measure passes now. If this bill is passed, it will take effect on September 1.
The San Antonio City Council’s next step is to review the groups interested in the grant before launching the fund this summer. Jane’s Due Process and Sueños Sin Fronteras, both of which facilitate out-of-state abortions for Texas women, are among the interested applicants. These and similar anti-Life groups may be first in line to receive the funding.
Texas taxpayers should not be forced to watch their hard-earned money be used to end the lives of innocent babies. Call or email your Texas senator and representative and urge them to vote for SB 33 and HB 1806, to stop other cities from following San Antonio and Austin’s lead.
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