Another Ohio city is considering an ordinance to protect unborn babies by banning abortions this summer.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports Mason (population 33,000) may follow Lebanon, Ohio in becoming the second city in the state and more than 30 others across the country in passing a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance.
Councilmember T.J. Honerlaw told the newspaper that he is “anxious” to introduce the ordinance soon. He said they are working on the plan with Mark Lee Dickson, director with Right To Life of East Texas and founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative.
The Sanctuary for the Unborn ordinance recognizes that unborn babies are valuable human beings who deserve to be protected under the law. It prohibits abortions within city limits and outlines legal consequences for abortionists who abort unborn babies. It does not penalize women who seek or have abortions, and it does not prohibit abortions when the mother’s life is at risk.
Mayor Kathy Grossmann said she knows many Mason residents support the pro-life ordinance.
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“There are going to be times when we make decisions some people from the public don’t like, but I do sense there is support from the public for this. I also sense very strongly that there is opposition and so I’m doing my best to look at everything carefully and be really circumspect,” she said.
During a July 12 council meeting, pro-life residents of Mason encouraged the council to pass a pro-life ordinance; however, a few abortion activists from Lebanon also showed up to ask the council to vote against it, according to the report.
In May, Lebanon became the first city in Ohio to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance and ban abortions within city limits. More than 30 cities in Texas and Nebraska also have passed similar Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinances, and the movement continues to grow.
Several of the cities have faced lawsuits by pro-abortion groups, but none of the legal challenges have succeeded.
Earlier this summer, a federal judge threw out a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood challenging the Lubbock, Texas ordinance. Lubbock is the first city with an abortion facility to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance, and Planned Parenthood has not been aborting unborn babies there since June 1 when the ordinance went into effect.
Seven other Texas cities won another victory in 2020 when the American Civil Liberties Union dropped its lawsuit challenging their pro-life ordinances.
