By: Hannah Tiede

Anti-abortion advocates say the money should have gone to pregnancy care centers.

“We are tremendously disappointed, but not surprised,” said Amy O’Donnell with Texas Alliance for Life. “What is important to note is that another law was passed, I believe two sessions ago, bans contracts between cities or municipalities and abortion providers and their affiliates. Now, there is somewhat of a loophole there that some of the side logistics funding organizations fall under. We are working to close that loophole because that will address some of what we are seeing with these city budget attempts to fund abortion travel.”

Mayor Ron Nirenberg told KENS 5 the city is complying with state and federal law.

By: Elise Catrion Gregg

Amy O’Donnell, spokeswoman for the anti-abortion Texas Alliance for Life, said that clarification needs to come from the Texas Medical Board – not the Legislature.

“For any physicians who are perhaps … confused on our clear pro-life laws, I would just encourage them to also reach out and see if they can get that clarification,” she said.

By: Selena Simmons-Duffin

In commenting on Casiano’s story, Texas Alliance for Life spokesperson Amy O’Donnell told NPR, “I do believe the Texas laws are working as designed.”

O’Donnell was also present at the hearing in Austin, telling NPR she was there “just to keep an eye on it and watch how it unfolds.” She said she believes that the laws are clear as is. “Doctors can exercise reasonable medical judgment; they can provide the standard of care,” she said.

By: Selena Simmons-Duffin

The sponsor of the bill in the Texas Senate was none other than S.B. 8 author Sen. Bryan Hughes. Hughes has not responded to any of NPR’s interview requests on multiple stories for months, but he did give an interview to National Review in June. “Texas law is already clear,” he said, a talking point made frequently by supporters of the bans, including the Texas Alliance for Life. “But because some doctors and hospitals were not following the law, we wanted to remove any doubt and remove any excuse for not giving the care that the moms need in these cases.”

Dr. John Thoppil, an Austin OB-GYN and past president of the Texas Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, calls the assertion that the law was already clear and that doctors are to blame for the uncertainty false. “If you put the threat of a felony case and losing your license in a very poorly written original law, it is irresponsible to shift that blame back to the physicians who are trying to take care of patients,” he says.