The Austin, Texas City Council has voted to become a sanctuary city for transgender-identifying individuals, including minors, that are seeking sex change drugs and surgeries.
In a vote held on Thursday, City Council members approved a resolution by a margin of 10-1, directing the Austin police to deprioritize the Texas law that prohibits certain treatments for transgender-identifying minors as their lowest enforcement priority.
The resolution states that the city will not utilize personnel, funds, or resources to investigate, prosecute, or impose penalties on transgender or nonbinary individuals seeking healthcare, nor on individuals or organizations providing or assisting with the provision of such healthcare.
Additionally, the resolution affirms that the city will not restrict eligibility for city funding, including grants or contracts, based on a group’s proclivities toward encouraging or facilitiating sex changes for minors.
In a statement regarding the decision, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said that the city would “prioritize public safety and basic needs of all Austinites,” according to KXAN.
“The resolution passed by the Austin City Council is a statement – that we care about all Austinites and want to use our limited City resources to serve and protect all our neighbors,” said Watson.
The council’s decision drew