Watch replay: Travis County DA responds to Roe v. Wade decision and enforcing Texas abortion law
On Monday morning, Travis County District Attorney José Garza addressed last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned the Roe v. Wade decision and removed the constitutional protections for abortion.
In Texas, abortion is currently illegal after six weeks of pregnancy. But next month, a trigger law state lawmakers adopted last year will ban the procedure outright.
In a statement shared last Friday, Garza expressed concern over the Supreme Court's decision, saying "making abortion illegal will not end abortions; it will simply end safe abortions for too many."
"While I am aware that our state’s 'trigger law' goes into effect in 30 days, making performing an abortion a felony, I will not force women into the shadows, especially when they need life-saving medical care," Garza said. "No matter what the law says, I implore you: please, seek medical help if you need it. A prosecutor's job is to protect public safety, and to enforce this law will not only fail to promote or protect public safety but will also lead to more harm."
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At 11 a.m, Garza was joined his office's Special Victims Unit director, Erin Martinson, and Victim Services Unit director Neva Fernandez. You can watch a replay of the press conference here:
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas abortion law: Travis County DA speaks on enforcement after Roe
