‘Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn’ Ordinances on the Ballot in Four Texas Cities

Abilene, San Angelo, and Plainview are in West Texas whereas Athens is in the japanese a part of the state.

The poll initiatives are half of a bigger motion that has seen over 40 cities round the state undertake ordinances declaring abortion unlawful and securing the rights of unborn youngsters inside their borders.

The ordinances comprise provisions for each non-public and public enforcement towards these performing abortions. None embrace enforcement towards moms; as with state regulation, they comprise exceptions for conditions the place the mom’s life is threatened.

“Every one of these villages and cities are on the ballot due to their successful attempt to practice the citizen initiative petition process allowed for by the rules of their city,” Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn chief Mark Lee Dickson advised The Texan in an electronic mail.

The residents reached out to Dickson and Right To Life of East Texas, the place he serves as director, with an curiosity in passing the ordinances.

Ryan Buck, the senior pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in San Angelo, received concerned in the ordinance effort after listening to Dickson clarify the motion and realizing it might “have a tangible effect and protect San Angelo.”

San Angelo is the county seat of Tom Green County and has a inhabitants of about 93,000.

Interested residents first sought passage of the sanctuary ordinance by the metropolis council, however when that effort failed, they moved on to the initiative course of by way of petition, Buck advised The Texan.

Buck stated the coalition constructing was encouraging, as not less than 22 Christian congregations inside the metropolis received concerned in gathering wanted signatures.

He stated whereas they anticipated some opposition, they’ve seen nearly none. Some protests had been organized towards the effort, however few individuals confirmed up.

Buck is optimistic about the possible passage of the ordinance and expects the next turnout than typical.

Even with state legal guidelines in place and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June, Buck nonetheless sees the passage as an essential solution to “send a strong message to the legislature and the rest of the nation.”

The effort in Abilene is spearheaded by Project Destiny, a gaggle organized to move the abortion ban to “protect life” and “defend the defenseless.”

Tammy Fogle has volunteered in the effort, which she stated required plenty of work on the entrance finish.

In Abilene, Fogle stated the metropolis council wouldn’t even put the ordinance on the agenda for dialogue. That left volunteers with a big job, she advised The Texan: gathering not less than 6,500 signatures in order to get the measure on the poll.

Once they succeeded, the city council voted to send the ordinance to voters somewhat than move it themselves.

Yet Fogle is optimistic. “It was a lot of work on the front end because we needed so many signatures, but it raised awareness.”

“It reinforces our unified message that we won’t tolerate abortion in our city. We are focused on protecting unborn life,” she stated.

The proposed ordinances in all of the cities are nearly similar. However, the one in Athens is barely completely different.

It recites the historical past and findings of abortionist Curtis Boyd, who carried out abortions in Athens in the Sixties and early Nineteen Seventies whereas it was a prison offense in the state.

The ordinance goes on to state, “The City Council of Athens, Texas, is determined to ensure that these murderous acts never again occur within city boundaries.”

The city council of Athens voted in August to place the ordinance on the November poll for voters to determine.

On May 1, 2021, Lubbock, a metropolis of over 250,000, voted overwhelmingly to pass the ordinance defending unborn youngsters inside the metropolis.

Planned Parenthood sued Lubbock over the ordinance, claiming it was unconstitutional.

A federal district decide dominated towards Planned Parenthood, and it dropped its enchantment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in January 2022.

In 2019, Waskom, Texas, a city in East Texas with a inhabitants of about 2,000, was the first city in the country to move a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” ordinance.