Austin Vows to “Decriminalize” Abortion if Roe v. Wade is Overturned

Austin City Councilman José “Chito” Vela proposed a resolution that would give abortionists a free pass to kill preborn children if Roe v. Wade is overturned. After the high court’s decision is released, Vela would submit the local resolution to block the use of city staff and money from investigating or reporting illegal abortions and direct the Austin Police Department to set enforcement of Pro-Life laws as its lowest priority. By mandating that the Austin Police set Pro-Life laws as their lowest priority, the Austin City Council would make criminal enforcement of Pro-Life laws impossible to the already under-resourced and overwhelmed city police.

Vela, with the backing of the mayor, misleadingly dubbed this anti-Life resolution the “GRACE Act,” which stands for “Guarding the Right to Abortion Care for Everyone.” The measure will not be submitted for full consideration until Roe v. Wade is reversed.

Luckily, the Pro-Life movement has already found at least one solution to liberal cities’ anti-Life antics.

Austin City Council’s move to “decriminalize” abortion emphasizes the need for every Pro-Life state to adopt the private enforcement mechanism of the Texas Heartbeat Act, in which private citizens can hold abortionists accountable for violating the law. The possibility of a $10,000 citizen lawsuit for every illegal abortion was enough to prompt abortionists to stop killing preborn children after six weeks in 2021.

Texas Right to Life Director of Media and Communication Kimberlyn Schwartz added: 

“Even in the reddest of the red states like Texas, abortionists are located in deep blue cities. The Pro-Life movement will need private enforcement tools and other creative solutions to work around local elected officials who are bought and paid for by Planned Parenthood.”

Texas Right to Life has already spoken to elected officials and leaders about expanding the private cause of action provision of the Texas Heartbeat Act.

The so-called “GRACE Act” would not be the first radically anti-Life measure the Austin City Council has pursued. In 2018 the council renewed a contract flagrantly mismanaging taxpayer resources by leasing public property, valued at over $2 million, to Planned Parenthood for the price of just $1 per year. In 2020 the council slashed funding to the police to redirect much of that taxpayer money to the abortion industry. Finally, in 2021, the Austin City Council approved a resolution instructing the city’s legal department to support lawsuits against the Texas Heartbeat Act at taxpayers’ expense.

After pushing extreme abortion policies, council member Vanessa Fuentes, who is set to co-sponsor the resolution, had the gall to say, “(w)e want to make sure that our police spend their precious time investigating high-level violent crime and not abortion… We’ve got to make sure that we are being judicious in how we spend our city resources and city time.” 

For years, anti-Life politicians have bragged that they will ignore their public duty and not enforce Pro-Life laws if Roe is overturned. This serves as an important reminder that the private enforcement mechanism, which made the Texas Heartbeat Act so successful, must be applied to all Pro-Life laws. Private citizens must rise to the occasion to enforce Pro-Life laws and save lives especially when politicians refuse.

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Joseph Menslage

As the President and Publisher of Katy and Fort Bend Christian Magazines, Joe Menslage is committed to covering social and political news from a Christian worldview. He founded Katy Christian Magazine in 2005, which swept the greater Houston and Katy areas like a storm. That’s when Joe realized the urgent need for publications willing to give voices to the voiceless, without political correctness or censorship. Joe Menslage founded sister-publication Fort Bend Christian Magazine in 2014. Prior to creating Katy Christian Magazine, Joe Menslage led a colorful life. He was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, spent a great deal of his childhood in Colorado, and lived in a couple of other states before he moved to Houston in 1981. Joe was God-gifted with an entrepreneurial mind, and self-started other business ventures before he found his calling. In Joe’s words, our innate talents are given by the Lord, and are meant to be used to serve the Lord. Aside from being a President and Publisher, Joe Menslage is also the co-founder of Katy Christian Chamber of Commerce, where Christians can network, build business connections, listen to passionate speakers, and enjoy monthly breakfasts and lunches. Joe Menslage also hosts a weekly political satire YouTube channel. Joe Menslage has four children. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, watching zombie movies and K dramas, ax-throwing and Krav Maga.