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Seattle becomes sanctuary city for those seeking abortions

SEATTLE — Mayor Bruce Harrell signed new abortion access protections into law in Seattle as more patients are coming to Washington for abortions.

“Today, we are taking steps to ensure abortion and reproductive health care is safe and accessible to residents and visitors,” Harrell said before signing four bills on Monday morning.

One of them establishes Seattle as a sanctuary city for people seeking abortions and prevents Seattle police from helping out-of-state law enforcement with warrants related to abortion.

The city is also designating people who have received or are seeking abortion as a protected class and is making it a misdemeanor to encroach on patients seeking abortions or gender-affirming care.

The city is also contributing $250,000 to the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, which helps patients with procedure and travel costs.

The fund has already served three times the number of clients as the same time last year.

“We are definitely seeing an influx of folks coming into our region to access their care,” said Cyndy Wilson of the Northwest Abortion Access Fund.

With Idaho’s near-total abortion plan set to take effect at the end of August, more patients are expected in Washington.

Despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling removing federal abortion protections, abortion rights remain protected in Washington.

“Unborn children are human beings as well and they deserve the same protection as those the mayor is trying to protect,” said Brad Payne of the Family Policy Institute of Washington.

He’s also concerned about the city council targeting crisis pregnancy centers run by abortion opponents.

“Crisis pregnancy centers do an incredible job of meeting women where they’re at. I have yet to be around anyone who said it was a negative experience,” Payne said.

Council member Tammy Morales wants to follow San Francisco’s lead and prevent centers from making it seem like they offer abortions when they’re really trying to persuade clients to give birth.

“Our legislation would work to ensure that these organizations cannot make statements that are false or misleading by creating penalties for engaging in deceptive practices,” Morales said.

Morales estimates that two or three centers are operating now in Seattle and said that because they’re not medical clinics, the information they collect is not privacy-protected.

The crisis pregnancy center bill passed out of committee and will go to the full council next month.