{"id":14007,"date":"2025-10-21T15:03:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T15:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/14007\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T15:03:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T15:03:09","slug":"san-antonio-official-confirms-city-will-seek-exemption-to-governors-rainbow-crosswalk-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/14007\/","title":{"rendered":"San Antonio official confirms city will seek exemption to governor’s rainbow crosswalk order"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SanSan Antonio\u2019s rainbow crosswalk celebrates the LGBTQ+ history of the Main Strip. Credit: Sanford Nowlin<\/p>\n

San Antonio will pursue a state exemption to avoid removing its rainbow crosswalk, as ordered under a recent dictate by Gov. Greg Abbott<\/a>, Texas Public Radio reports<\/a>, citing comments from a city attorney. <\/p>\n

As part of his continued crackdown on free speech<\/a>, the Republican governor early this month threatened to withhold transportation funding from municipalities that don\u2019t erase \u201cpolitical ideologies\u201d from their streets. <\/p>\n

At the time, Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, whose district includes the crosswalk, said she expected the city to seek an exception<\/a>. Now, at a Monday meeting of the city\u2019s LGBTQ+ Advisory Commission, First Assistant City Attorney Liz Provencio confirmed such a plan is in the works, according to TPR.<\/p>\n

Provencio told commission members that a Texas Department of Transportation\u2019s letter explaining the governor\u2019s order noted exemptions may be available if municipalities can show painted messages on their streets benefit public safety, the news outlet reports. <\/p>\n

To that end, city records show the number of traffic incidents at San Antonio\u2019s rainbow crosswalk have declined since the colorful markings were applied in 2018, she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat data indicated that there were two incidents that had occurred, and since the installation of the crosswalk, which will be going on \u2026 seven to eight years, in that entire time frame, we\u2019ve had two (incidents) so there\u2019s no indication that it\u2019s made it any less safe,\u201d Provencio said in an interview with TPR.<\/p>\n

The city has until Nov. 8 to file its exemption. However, it\u2019s unclear what timetable the state has to rule on it, TPR reports. <\/p>\n

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