Allegheny County Council to consider measures to protect abortion

Allegheny County Council will consider legislation that aims to protect abortion access in the county, even if it would be restricted at a state level.

County Councilman Tom Duerr will introduce legislation this week, in response to the recent Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Duerr is sponsoring a bill known as a trigger law. It would aim to protect abortion access in the county if the state enacted measures restricting or limiting abortion.

“There is a good chance the state will never let counties make their own decisions on this matter, but we’re in uncharted territory and it’s important we take this step now while we have a pro-abortion majority on council in the case that it does,” Duerr said in a statement posted on social media.

His proposed trigger law would protect abortion access in the first and second trimester, and allow abortion in the third trimester if the mental or physical health of the pregnant woman is in danger.

A second, related, measure would direct county employees — including the sheriff and county police — to deprioritize enforcement of laws criminalizing abortion.

The measure mimics legislation introduced by Councilman Bobby Wilson at Pittsburgh City Council last week.

Wilson introduced legislation directing the city’s police department to deprioritize enforcement of abortion-related crimes. He also sponsored measures that would regulate deceptive advertising by crisis pregnancy centers in Pittsburgh and shield abortion providers from out-of-state investigation or prosecution for providing abortions that are legal in Pennsylvania.