Updated at 3:15 p.m., July 21, with Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filing suit
Calling it decisive action that empowers people to make their own health care decisions, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones signed legislation Thursday directing $1 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to help people cover the logistical cost of accessing abortion.
鈥淎 few weeks ago, I stood in this very spot, and I said I would fight like hell to make sure St. . Louisans can access the reproductive health care they need,鈥� Jones said during a signing ceremony at her office in City Hall. 鈥淭oday, we won the first round in the ring.鈥�
Missouri鈥檚 trigger law, which took effect June 24 upon the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting the constitutional right to an abortion, bans the procedure unless the health of the mother is in danger. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.
Hours after Jones put her signature on the measure, Attorney General Eric Schmitt , asking a judge to declare parts of the law unconstitutional and stop the city from going forward with spending the money.
鈥淎s Attorney General, I鈥檝e tirelessly fought to uphold the sanctity of life in Missouri,鈥� Schmitt said in a statement. 鈥淭he move by the City of St. Louis to use taxpayer dollars to help push out-of-state abortions plainly and clearly violates Missouri law,鈥�
The bill contains language that says a court striking down one portion does not automatically strike down the entire measure. Jones called the lawsuit a search for 鈥渃lout鈥� by the attorney general, and said she was not worried about a lengthy legal fight.
鈥淚f the attorney general thinks that he knows better than St. Louisans about our rights, our doctors, or our health care, or our neighborhoods and our needs, then I say, 鈥楤ring it,鈥欌�� she said.
In addition to $1 million for things like travel or childcare, the measure also directs $500,000 toward other reproductive healthcare, like support for doulas or lactation consultants.
鈥淭he goal of this funding is to support pregnant people in all of their options,鈥� said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of ProChoice Missouri, which helped craft the language. 鈥淗ow truly groundbreaking it is to recognize and center in one piece of legislation the full spectrum of health needs for each of us.鈥�
There is also $1.6 million in funding for coronavirus tests and vaccines.
Getting the proposal to the mayor鈥檚 desk required some careful vote-counting on the part of its supporters. Newly-elected 11th Ward Alderman Jimmy Lappe proved to be the deciding 15th vote on his first day in office because his colleague in the 7th Ward, Jack Coatar, was at home with .
鈥淚鈥檓 just really happy that I was able to be here to help make sure that folks are able to have health care in our city,鈥� Lappe said Thursday.
With the mayor鈥檚 signature, the city鈥檚 health department will begin deciding exactly how to distribute the funds. Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, the health director, said the timeline would depend on which process is chosen.
Similar measure fails in St. Louis County
St. Louis joins cities like Austin, Texas and Cincinnati in directing public funds toward logistical support for abortion.
But, the St. Louis County Council defeated Tuesday, when Fourth District Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, D-St. Louis County, joined the council鈥檚 three Republican members in voting no.
鈥淚 am pro-choice,鈥� Webb said, 鈥渂ut I also need to be aware that we cannot use public funding to support activities that are not for the public as a whole.鈥�
In Kansas City, the City Council late last month calling on the city manager to work with the city鈥檚 health care system to protect access to FDA-approved contraception, and to allow city employees and their dependents to be reimbursed for travel to access needed health care that is not available in Missouri.
The language of the resolution specifically says the reimbursements cannot come from Kansas City鈥檚 general fund, or other taxpayer-generated funds.
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