JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Proposed legislation that would create a reimbursement option for city employees who travel for “medical treatments related to reproductive rights” will be introduced at the Jacksonville City Council meeting on Tuesday.

City Councilman Reggie Gaffney’s bill is being filed as an emergency bill, which would mean it would need only one cycle before it would go into effect, but it’s not expected to pass.

At a news conference Monday on the steps of City Hall, Gaffney, who is also running for a state Senate seat, talked about the bill. He said he does not believe in abortion, but that is not stopping him from introducing the bill.

“I love Jesus like any one person, but I just believe that a woman has the right to choose what she wants to do with her body, and I don’t think it’s a man’s job to do that,” said Gaffney.

News4JAX first reported about this bill on Friday, and at that time, even though he introduced the legislation, Gaffney didn’t want to talk about it on camera.

On Friday afternoon, Gaffney released a statement saying, “As a man of faith, using this would not be my personal preference. However, as a legislator I represent all people and I will fight for their freedom and their right to have options, and every woman deserves this option.”

Gaffney’s bill comes on the heels of a leaked initial majority opinion from the Supreme Court on Roe v. Wade that has abortion rights advocates scrambling.

If the draft from the Supreme Court holds, it...

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