* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Austin Abortion Access Resolution News Conference] [00:00:05] WHEN YOU'RE READY. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY. I AM COUNCIL MEMBER PAY JEALOUS. I AM THE LEAD SPONSOR OF THE RESOLUTION NUMBER, ITEM ITEM NUMBER ONE 11 ON TOMORROW'S MEETING AT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. UM, I IT'S, UM, WHO CARE PASSIONATELY ABOUT CARE PASSIONATELY ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THE MAYOR IS UNABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, BUT HE IS ALSO A CO-SPONSOR. UM, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FIRST OFF THAT WE HAVE ADVOCATES CURRENTLY HEADED TO WASHINGTON DC, TO DEMAND FEDERAL INTERVENTION, TO PROTECT ABORTION RIGHTS AND ACCESS. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF VOICES IN THIS MOVEMENT THAT ARE NOT WITH US TODAY BECAUSE THEY ARE IN WASHINGTON, DC. ABORTION ACCESS IS UNDER SEVERE ATTACK IN OUR STATE YET AGAIN, AND I KNOW MANY OF US FEEL FRUSTRATED AND FURIOUS, BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND UP AND FIGHT WITH ALL WE'VE GOT. OUR STATE LEADERS ARE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT OUR BODIES WITHOUT EVEN BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW PREGNANCY WORKS. THE SUPREME COURT MADE A DECISION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ACTUALLY AN INACTION THAT UPENDS OUR RIGHTS TO REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE AND PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING AT TEXAS IN DISBELIEF, EVEN THOUGH IT FEELS LIKE OUR RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TRAMPLED AND OUR HANDS ARE TIED. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE DECISIONS OVER THEIR OWN BODIES. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY. WE CANNOT LET THIS AGGRESSIVE INVASION INTO SUCH A PRIVATE AND PERSONAL MATTER GO UNCHECKED. THAT IS WHY I'VE SPONSORED THE ABORTION ACCESS RESOLUTION ON THIS WEEK'S AGENDA. THIS ITEM REAFFIRMS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO ABORTION ACCESS AND ALLOCATE STAFF RESOURCES WITHIN CITY'S LAW DEPARTMENT TO INVESTIGATE AND PURSUE APPROPRIATE LEGAL SUPPORT OF CURRENT EFFORTS TO CHALLENGE THIS EXTREME AND ARCANE LAW PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, THE U S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. AND JUST LAST WEEK, THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ALL SPOKEN UNEQUIVOCALLY IN SUPPORT OF ACCESS TO ABORTION CARE FOR ALL WHO SEEK IT. AND WE KNOW PUBLIC POLLING SHOWS CONSISTENT AND OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE. LEGAL CHALLENGES TO THIS LAW ARE UNDERWAY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS URGED TO PROVIDE AMICUS SUPPORT TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THE LILITH FUND, AND OTHER PLAINTIFFS, AS WELL AS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IN THEIR LAWSUIT AGAINST TEXAS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE PRIVATE BUSINESSES TO STEP UP AND SPEAK OUT AND STAND WITH US IN OPPOSING SB EIGHT. AND YOU AS RESIDENTS IN AUSTIN AND ACROSS THE STATE CAN PUT YOUR DOLLARS WHERE YOUR VALUES ARE BY SUPPORTING BUSINESSES. THAT SUPPORT REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE. I'D LIKE TO THANK MY CO-SPONSORS MAYOR ADLER MAYOR PRO TEM HARPER, MADISON COUNCIL MEMBER COSAR CASAR. AND I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR WILL BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR LOCAL DELEGATION IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR FIGHTING FOR US AND DEFENDING OUR, OUR RIGHTS TO REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM. AND NEXT I WILL INTRODUCE TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN, AND THE OTHER SPEAKERS IN ORDER WILL BE MAYOR PRO TEM, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON ALEXIA GONZALEZ FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD, EMILY MARTIN, WITH A VOWEL, TEXAS ROCKY GONZALEZ WITH THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION AND KIM TAYLOR WITH THE WOMEN'S MARCH. AND THEN AT THE END WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER, GREG CASAR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR INVITING ME TO BE HERE TODAY. UM, I'M TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN, AND I'M PROUD TO STAND HERE AMONG SO MANY SUPPORTERS OF OUR RIGHTS HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY. AND HERE IN AUSTIN, ABORTION IS ONE OF THOSE RIGHTS, ABORTION RESTRICTION LAWS LIKE SBA MAKE OUR COMMUNITY LESS SAFE AND LESS EQUITABLE. AND IT CONTRADICTS OUR SHARED COMMUNITY VALUES. THIS RESTRICTIVE ABORTION LAW IS RECKLESS HARMFUL AND EDITS. WORST CAN BE DEADLY, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW INCOME BY MAKING ABORTION HARDER, TO ACCESS MORE EXPENSIVE AND LESS SAFE IN TRAVIS COUNTY. WE'RE COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, EQUITABLE, AND ENSURING THAT PEOPLE SEEKING ABORTIONS CAN ACCESS THEM. TRAVIS COUNTY STANDS WITH TEXAS WOMEN AND FAMILIES. WE AFFIRM PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO SEEK ABORTIONS, NOT WITHSTANDING AN ILLEGAL STATE LAW PROHIBITING GOVERNMENT ENTITIES FROM HELPING FUND ABORTION CARE. TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RECENTLY APPROVED JOINING AN AMICUS BRIEF WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE U S SUPREME COURT CASE DOBBS V JACKSON WOMEN'S HEALTH WE'RE IN MISSISSIPPI LAW, BANS ABORTION. AFTER 15 WEEKS, WE MUST FIGHT THESE LAWS THAT RESTRICT WOMEN'S FULL AUTONOMY. I COMMIT TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND WITH OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY AND WITH OUR FRIENDS [00:05:01] HERE AT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, TO ENSURE THAT WE USE EVERY LEGAL RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO CHALLENGE THIS ABORTION BAN AND ENSURE PEOPLE SEEKING ABORTIONS ARE ABLE TO DO SO SAFELY. THANK YOU TO OUR CITY OF AUSTIN LEADERS FOR HELPING PROTECT THIS IMPORTANT HEALTHCARE. RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M MAYOR PRO TEM, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON, AND I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING OUT THIS MORNING, BUT GIVEN JUST HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO DO. IF I'M BEING ENTIRELY HONEST, I'M PRETTY DAMN PISSED THAT WE HAVE TO BE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE WE ARE HERE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO LEAD OUR STATE HAVE GIVEN UP ON GOVERNING FOR ALL TEXANS. THAT'S WHY THEY PASS LAWS, MAKING IT HARDER FOR US TO VOTE. THAT'S WHY RIGHT NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO RAM THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST TRAGICALLY GERRYMANDERED VOTING MAPS ANYONE EVER SEEN. THERE'S NO BETTER EXAMPLE THAN THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND INHUMANE ANTI-CHOICE BILL THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED INTO LAW THIS SUMMER INCENTIVIZING VIGILANTES TO ABUSE OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM, TO HARASS PEOPLE WHO MAKE PRIVATE HEALTH DECISIONS. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SQUARE THAT WITH THEIR SLOGANS OF LIBERTY AND LIMITED GOVERNMENT, IT WILL, OF COURSE, DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BLACK BROWN. AND LOW-INCOME TEXANS PEOPLE WHO WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES TO TRAVEL OUT OF STATE PEOPLE WHOSE CHOICES WILL BE LIMITED AT BEST TO LIFE ALTERING. AND UNFORTUNATELY LIKE ANDY BROWN SAID, THANK YOU, JUDGE, FOR POINTING IT OUT AND LIFE THREATENING. AND IN SOME CASES, BOTH CHOICES CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING. THIS IS UNJUST. IT IS INEQUITABLE. AND FRANKLY, IT IS CRUEL. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO BE HERE. WE HAVE TO BE HERE TO SPEAK UP FOR THEM, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND THAT ALL TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS. YOU CAN ONLY WORK AROUND THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE FOR SO LONG. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALEXIA GONZALES AND I'M THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH SPECIALIST WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF GREATER TEXAS. I AM HERE WITH SARAH WEE AND MONICA LAYFIELD ON BEHALF OF OUR STAFF, PATIENTS AND SUPPORTERS WHO CAN'T BE HERE THIS MORNING SINCE 1938, PLANNED PARENTHOOD HAS BEEN PROVIDING EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE TO PATIENTS IN AUSTIN. PLANNED PARENTHOOD IS PROUD TO BE A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR ESSENTIAL PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE SERVICES. ALL ARE WELCOME AT OUR HEALTH CENTERS, REGARDLESS OF ZIP CODE INSURANCE AND COM LEVEL DOCUMENTATION OR WHO YOU LOVE. HEALTH CARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S THREE AUSTIN HEALTH CENTERS INCLUDE BIRTH CONTROL, INCLUDING IUD AND IMPLANTS, BREAST AND CERVICAL CANCER, SCREENINGS, TESTING AND TREATMENT FOR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, HIV TESTING, AND PREP AND PEP HIV PREVENTION, GENDER AFFIRMING, HORMONE THERAPY, PREVENTATIVE WELLNESS EXAMS, AND OTHER HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION SERVICES. WE ARE A TRUSTED PROVIDER OF MEDICATION AND SURGICAL ABORTIONS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER ATTACK BY THE TEXAS GOVERNOR AND STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIALS. DESPITE OPPOSITION TO THIS EXTREME NEW LAW, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE MANDATED AN ALMOST COMPLETE ABORTION BAN STATEWIDE. THIS IS DEVASTATING AND HARMFUL, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I INVITE MONICA TO SHARE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF TEXAS'S ABORTION BAN. GOOD MORNING, I'M MONICA LAYFIELD AND I SERVE ON THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF GREATER TEXAS BOARD. SINCE SEPTEMBER ONE, DESPITE AN APPEAL FILED TO THE US SUPREME COURT. OUR HEALTH CENTERS HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS IS EXTREME NEW ABORTION BAN PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S PHYSICIANS ARE BANNED FROM PROVIDING AN ABORTION FOR ANY PATIENT BEYOND APPROXIMATELY SIX WEEKS OF PREGNANCY. BEFORE MANY PATIENTS EVEN REALIZE THEY'RE PREGNANT IN THE MIDDLE OF A COVID-19 SURGE, THE ONLY OPTION FOR MOST TEXANS SEEKING TO SAFELY ACCESS AN ABORTION, WHICH TO BE CLEAR IS HEALTHCARE. ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE TEXT AND SEEKING TO SAFELY ACCESS AN ABORTION IN A HEALTH CENTER IS, IS TO TRAVEL OUT OF STATE, POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS OF MILES ROUND TRIP. THIS IS A COMPLETE ABORTION BAN FOR PATIENTS, PATIENTS IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, ANYONE WHO CAN'T ACCESS CHILDCARE TIME OFF OF WORK TRANSPORTATION AND THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO TRAVEL OUT OF TEXAS UNDOCUMENTED PATIENTS FACE [00:10:01] BARRIERS TO ACCESSING ABORTION CARE UNDER THESE EXTREME RESTRICTIONS. WE ARE HEARING THE FEAR FROM PATIENTS THROUGH OUR CHAT AND TEXTLINE QUESTIONS HAVE INCLUDED, EXCUSE ME, I APOLOGIZE. QUESTIONS HAVE INCLUDED. FORGIVE ME. PATIENTS ARE GOING TO NEW MEXICO, COLORADO, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA, AND ANYWHERE THEY CAN TRAVEL. AND SOMETIMES TO WHERE THEY HAVE FAMILY THAT THEY CAN STAY WITH NEARBY ONE PATIENT'S CAR BROKE DOWN WHILE SHE WAS LEAVING THE STATE. ANOTHER HAS A CHILD IN CANCER TREATMENT. LET ME REPEAT THAT. A PATIENT HAS A CHILD IN CANCER TREATMENT AND IS BEING FORCED TO LEAVE THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE. ANOTHER PATIENT HAS COVID AND DOESN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TRAVELING EACH PATIENT WE SEE HAS THEIR OWN LIFE CHALLENGES THAT MAKES THAT MAKE THIS ABORTION BAN SO DEVASTATING. THE RESPONSE THAT WE ARE SEEING FROM THIS, THIS COMMUNITY IS POWERFUL, AND WE APPRECIATE THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY STANDING WITH OUR PATIENTS. AS WE FIGHT TO OVERTURN THESE EXTREME AND DEVASTATE THIS EXTREME AND DEVASTATING ABORTION BAN, WE ARE COMMITTED TO TEXANS MAKING THEIR OWN MEDICAL DECISIONS AND ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT TO THE RIGHT OF INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS AN ABORTION WITHOUT POLITICAL INTERFERENCE. I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY OR ELECTED OFFICIALS HERE TODAY FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING. IT'S SIMPLE, BUT IT IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE, THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS EMILY MARTIN AND I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF A VAL FORMERLY NARROW PRO-CHOICE TEXAS ABOUT STRIVES FOR A WORLD WHERE EVERY PERSON IS TRUSTED, THRIVING AND FREE TO PURSUE THE LIFE THEY WANT. WE WORK TO ACHIEVE THIS BY SECURING UNRESTRICTED, ABORTION ACCESS AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS FOR ALL TEXANS THROUGH COMMUNITY BUILDING EDUCATION AND POLITICAL ADVOCACY. WE ARE EXTREMELY THANKFUL TO MAYOR ADLER, MAYOR PRO TEM, HARPER, MADISON, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, ELLIS CASAR, AND ALTAR FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION TO CITY HALL PRIOR TO SBA ABORTION CARE WAS ALREADY DIFFICULT FOR MANY TO OBTAIN DUE TO THE MANY BURDENS BURDENSOME LAWS PASSED IN THE LAST DECADE. SBA BANNED ABORTION OVERNIGHT FOR 90% OF TEXANS, AND ESSENTIALLY PUT A BOUNTY ON ANYONE ATTEMPTING TO HELP. THE RESULT IS ISOLATING PATIENTS WHO DESPERATELY NEED CARE AND FORCING THEM TO NAVIGATE THIS SYSTEM ALONE. SBA ALSO THREATENS OUR STATE'S VULNERABLE ABORTION CARE INFRASTRUCTURE. THE ANTI-ABORTION STATE LEGISLATORS BEHIND THIS CRUEL BAN MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. WE KNOW THAT THE VOCAL MAJORITY IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VALUES OF THE MAJORITY OF TEXANS. THE FACT IS A MAJORITY OF TEXANS BELIEVE ABORTION SHOULD BE ILLEGAL AND ACCESSIBLE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. TEXANS BELIEVE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ABORTION REGARDLESS OF THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION, THEIR INSURANCE COVERAGE, OR THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS. THAT IS WHY WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR LOCAL LEADERS AND THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP ON HOW CITIES CAN SHOW UP FOR ABORTION ACCESS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. CITY LEADERS KNOW WHAT THEIR COMMUNITIES NEED TO THRIVE. AND THIS CITY COUNCIL IS NOT AFRAID TO BE BOLD IN THEIR SUPPORT OF THEIR COMMUNITY. TWO YEARS AGO, THE COUNCIL VOTED TO MAKE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE FIRST CITY IN THE COUNTRY TO ALLOCATE FUNDS, TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS IN ACCESSING ABORTION CARE WITH THIS WEEK'S ABORTION ACCESS RESOLUTION. THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS AGAIN UPHOLDING THEIR SUPPORT FOR ABORTION RIGHTS AND DENOUNCING SBA. THE MOST EXTREME ANTI-ABORTION BAN IN THE COUNTRY. AND THEY'RE ASKING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO JOIN THEM. WE REALLY HOPE BUSINESS OWNERS AND LEADERS IN AUSTIN ARE LISTENING AND WILL JOIN CITY LEADERS IN OPPOSING SBA. AND THIS IS WHY WE AT A VOW WITH OUR PARTNERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNAPOLOGETIC IN OUR ABORTION ADVOCACY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT BOLDLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, TO MAKE SURE EVERY TEXAN HAS ACCESS TO THE CARE THEY NEED AND THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE. THANK YOU. HI, I'M KIM TAYLOR AND I'M JOINING ME TODAY IS KIM WHITEHEAD AND AMBER DAVIS. WE ARE LEADING THE WOMEN'S MARCH A RALLY ON SATURDAY MORNING FROM NINE TO 12 AT THE TEXAS STATE CAPITOL. WE ARE MARCHING AND RALLYING TO DEMAND ABORTION JUSTICE FOR ALL TEXAS PEOPLE. WE'RE INVITING EVERYONE HERE TODAY [00:15:01] AND EVERYONE IN TEXAS TO JOIN US ON SATURDAY. ALL, ALL OF OUR ALLIES, MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. EVERYONE IS INVITED TO JOIN US BECAUSE THIS LAW SBA IMPACTS EVERYONE. AND WE ARE NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP THERE. WE'RE GOING TO MEET ON SATURDAY MORNING. WE'RE GOING TO RALLY. WE'RE GOING TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE TEXAS STATE LEGISLATURE. THAT SBA IS NOT OKAY. IT IS. AND WE WILL, WE WILL DEMAND THAT THEY EITHER CHANGE THIS LAW OR WE'LL CHANGE THE LAWMAKERS THAT ARE, THAT HAVE PASSED IT. SO IT STARTS ON SATURDAY. IT WILL GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH NEXT YEAR. WE WILL MOBILIZE THOSE PEOPLE. WE WILL MOBILIZE ALL TEXANS TO GET OUT AND VOTE AND CHANGE THESE DANGEROUS LAWS. THANK YOU. SORRY. GOOD MORNING. I'M GREG COZADD AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING DISTRICT FOUR. GOVERNOR ABBOTT IS NOT KING. HE CAN'T OVERRIDE THE U S CONSTITUTION. GOVERNOR ABBOTT, ISN'T BEING THOUGHTFUL OR HONEST. HE CAN'T EXPLAIN AWAY THIS LAW. HE CAN'T TALK HIS WAY OUT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS ABORTION. AND GOVERNOR ABBOTT DOES NOT REPRESENT AUSTIN VALUES. WE DO. AND THAT'S WHY THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT THIS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO NEED ACCESS TO ABORTION CARE. WE SAW THAT JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN THE LEGISLATURE TRIED TO PASS A LAW AND DID PASS A LAW, TRYING TO CLOSE THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN EAST AUSTIN SUPPORTED BY THE CITY AND THIS CITY AND THIS COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER AND THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD IS STILL OPEN AND IS GOING TO SERVE THOUSANDS MORE PEOPLE FOR YEARS TO COME IN THE SAME WAY WITH THIS LAW. I KNOW THAT THE ORGANIZATIONS PRESENT HERE FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD TO DEEDS, NOT WORDS, AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION, THE WOMEN'S MARCH A VOW, OUR ABORTION FUNDS, UH, ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE HERE AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT FOR COMMUNITIES. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS PEOPLE IN TEXAS ARE GOING TO NEED ABORTION CARE. OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW, MOTHERS THAT HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OR OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY TO ACCESS A BASIC RIGHT, THAT ISN'T JUSTICE. THAT ISN'T FAIR THAT ISN'T TEXAN PEOPLE HAVING TO HAVE A CHILD WHEN THEY AREN'T READY, WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT CHILD, WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT BASIC, RIGHT? IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE GOVERNOR PANDERING TO A RIGHT WING BASE THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE BASIC NEEDS AND THE BASIC RIGHTS OF TEXAS, IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. AND SO WE ARE GOING TO ORGANIZE, WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS. WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT THIS IN COURT UNTIL WE TAKE DOWN THIS LAW, WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT AT THE BALLOT BOX UNTIL WE HAVE LAWMAKERS THAT REPRESENT THE BASIC RIGHTS OF TEXANS. AND WE ARE AS A CITY GOING TO CONTINUE TO HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH DIRECT FINANCIAL AID FOR THE TRANSPORTATION THAT THEY NEED, THE CHILDCARE THAT THEY NEED AND THE SUPPORT THAT THEY MIGHT EVEN NEED TO TRAVEL OUT OF STATE. AND I DON'T CARE IF THE GOVERNOR SAYS THAT THAT VIOLATES HIS LAW, WE ARE GOING TO KEEP DOING IT BECAUSE OUR JOB IS TO ACTUALLY HELP THE PEOPLE IN TEXAS. AND THAT IS WHAT OUR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS UNITED IN DOING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR BEING LEAD SPONSOR ON THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU, JUDGE BROWN, AND TO ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN AUSTIN THAT ARE COMMITTED TO NOT PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND INSTEAD FIGHTING TO MAKE SURE THAT TEXAS IS A BETTER AND MORE DECENT PLACE FOR EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO JOIN US TODAY. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SATURDAY AT THE CAPITOL 9:00 AM. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.