Local efforts to decriminalize abortion in Texas likely won’t help clinics stay open

Demonstrators gather in front of the federal courthouse in Houston to protest the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday. (Credit: Briana Vargas for The Texas Tribune)

Some local Texas officials are taking steps to guarantee that abortion seekers and providers in their communities won’t face criminal charges in the wake of the overturn of Roe v. Wade, but legal experts say these initiatives are unlikely to meaningfully change the landscape of abortion access in the state.

Since Friday’s ruling, the state’s abortion clinics have stopped performing the procedure. Abortion funds, which help pay for procedures out of state, have halted their work fearing legal repercussions.