San Antonio – Greg Abbott’s re-election as Texas governor marks a victory for the San Antonio Coalition for Life, but abortion rights advocates aren’t sharing the same sentiment.
“He has always spoken clearly about the protection of the unborn and their moms, and he was fundamental in creating the process that we have right now in Texas,” said Catherine Nix, executive director of San Antonio Coalition for Life.
The state’s trigger law bans abortion at all stages of pregnancy except in the case of a life-threatening medical emergency to the person who is pregnant.
“It is already saving many, many babies. We hope that it will remain that way for many years to come,” Nix said.
However, the leader of another advocacy group disagrees.
“If Beto had won, it definitely would have made our job a little easier, but this has only reinvigorated our drive to make sure that we get enough signatures to put this on the ballot for a vote in May,” said Ananda Tomas, executive director and founder of ACT4SA.
The ACT4SA group wants the city charter amended to prohibit San Antonio police from enforcing criminal abortion laws, among other reformation policies.
“We need to try something because so many peoples’ lives are in danger right now,” said Tomas.
In the meantime, Nix said she and other volunteers would continue serving women in the San Antonio area, helping them access reproductive health care resources.
“There is a lot of help out there ready to be tapped,” she said.
ACT4SA needs at least 20,000 petition signatures to get the charter amendment on the May 2023 ballot. Tomas did not say how many they have, but she said they are on track to have all the signatures by January.