Austin City Council Funds Abortion Group to Circumvent State Law

Texas Values testified before the Austin City Council this week in strong opposition to a measure providing funding for an organization that circumvents Texas law and helps minors receive an abortion without parental consent. The measure passed the liberal council unanimously. This is part of an ongoing effort by the Austin City Council to bypass another state law, created by SB 22, which forbids local governments from using taxpayer dollars for abortion providers or affiliates.

The Austin City Council has engaged in political posturing to see how far they can go before violating SB 22. The Council approved a questionable contract of up to $150,000 to fund Jane’s Due Process in order to help underage girls obtain dangerous abortions without their parents’ knowledge. The City of Austin should not be spending taxpayer dollars to help end the lives of unborn children.

Texas Values Submits Open Records Request on San Marcos LGBT Policy

This week, Texas Values submitted an open records request to the City of San Marcos following the City Council’s closed-door meeting and subsequent adoption of a new policy that would force businesses and religious nonprofits to give special treatment on “sexual orientation and gender identity” (SOGI) in employment or subcontract agreements in order to contract with the City of San Marcos. This policy would force private businesses and contractors with the City of San Marcos to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs on marriage and biological sex. 

Additionally, because the City Council took advantage of the Coronavirus situation in a closed-door meeting, there was no opportunity for a public hearing or comment and this action could violate the Texas Open Meetings Act. Government accountability is the hallmark of the American Constitutional system, and this information needs to see the light of day. With the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the issue of governmental overreach, it is important, now more than ever, that the public business be done in public.