Harris County leaders on Tuesday passed a trio of items in support of women’s access to abortion and contraception in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The most significant of the three measures directs county departments to find ways to protect and expand access to affordable and no-cost contraception, sexual education, family planning, and other programs including “access to safe abortions where possible under the law.”
A second measure provided for the county to lobby the state Legislature to mitigate the effects of a near-total abortion ban in Texas, while a third item was a symbolic resolution to condemn the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe.
All three measures passed 3-2 on party-line votes.
Judge Lina Hidalgo, a Democrat, cast the deciding vote in favor of all three items, “in recognition of the fact that we’ve had a right curtailed, and what that might mean for future rights that might be curtailed. I’m very, very concerned about that.”
It’s hard to know how much effect that first item can have, as it is giving direction to county departments rather than implementing something specific. I hope there will be a report at a later date with some details about what actions can be taken and are being taken. It’s also important to remember that as long as the Republicans have full control of state government, they can pass laws forbidding or outlawing whatever these actions turn out to be. I very much approve of the intent here, but we have to keep the bigger picture in mind.