Title
Commissioner Hayes-Santos - Protection of Reproductive Rights in Gainesville (B)
Explanation
The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson stripped away the constitutional right to abortion. Together with the continued and likely future attacks by the state of Florida legislature on abortion rights, the city should take all actions in its power to protect a person’s right to an abortion. Many cities across the country are taking action locally. For example, Austin, TX is considering the GRACE Act (see backup), that restricts city funds from being used to investigate abortions. Gainesville should take similar actions to both protect the rights of our neighbors and our city employees.
1. Pass a resolution similar to Austin’s resolution that will direct the city manager to create city policies that will both restrict city funds from being used to investigate abortions, sharing information concerning abortions, and making investigations into abortion the lowest priority for the police department. Sample language:
a. It is the policy of the City that, except to the extent otherwise required by state or federal law, City funds will not be used to:
- Store or catalog any report of an abortion, miscarriage, or other reproductive healthcare act;
- Provide information to any other governmental body or agency about any abortion, miscarriage, or other reproductive healthcare act, unless such information is provided to defend the patient’s right to abortion care or the healthcare provider’s right to provide that care; or
- Conduct surveillance or collect information related to an individual or organization for the purpose of determining whether an abortion has occurred, except for aggregated data without personally identifying information or personal health information which is collected for purposes unrelated to criminal investigation, enforcement, or prosecution.
2. For city employees, the city should cover travel and med...
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