Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Bill Banning Funding of Abortion Providers

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed a bill into law that bans local governments from funding abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood.

Senate Bill 22 prohibits the state and local governments from contracting with abortion providers for any services at all, and ends “sweetheart rent deals,” such as one arrangement a Planned Parenthood facility had with the city of Austin for one dollar per year.

The legislation ultimately protects taxpayers from granting funds to abortion providers through state and local taxes.

Pro-life organization Live Action explained what happens when taxpayer funds are given to abortion providers – even if the money is not used directly for abortions. According to Live Action:

When money is given to abortion providers, even if that money is not used directly for abortions, it still supports the same buildings, physicians, and operations, because of fungibility. So while abortion providers may claim that no taxpayer funding they receive goes toward abortions, all the money they receive is used in some way to prop up the business of supplying abortions.

State Sen. Donna Campbell (R) and State Rep. Candy Noble (R) sponsored the Texas legislation.

Texas Right to Life celebrated the new law on Twitter:

Thank you @GovAbbott for signing Senate Bill 22 into law! TX taxpayers are now protected from subsidizing abortion providers & affiliates thru state & local tax dollars, marking the next step in removing all public funds from the abortion industry #txlege #prolife

— Texas Right to Life (@TXRightToLife) June 10, 2019

According to Life News, the pro-life group said, since 2011, the Texas legislature has been moving toward eliminating state funding to the abortion industry and “reallocating most of those dollars to health care providers that administer a wide spectrum of services to a broad population of clients without offering abortion.”

“SB 22 codifies these Pro-Life protections and ensures local governments cannot circumvent the will of Texas’ Pro-Life majority,” the group added. “Texas Right to Life is thankful that the Legislature took this next important step in protecting Pro-Life taxpayers from subsidizing the abortion industry.”