Odessa, Texas has a new ordinance that ensures unborn babies’ lives will continue to be protected from abortion.
On Dec. 13, the Odessa City Council voted 6-1 in favor of the Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance, making it the 62nd city in the nation to do so, according to American Family News.
Mayor Javier Joven celebrated the vote after two years of working to pass the pro-life measure, according to Texas Scorecard.
“It took two years, but we finally did it. We are finally a Sanctuary City for the Unborn,” Joven said. “If you do not have the votes on your city council to protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children by keeping abortion out of your community, then do your part to get the right people into office who will protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children by keeping abortion out of your community.”
The ordinance prohibits killing unborn babies in abortions and aiding or abetting an abortion within city limits, as well as abortion-inducing drugs and abortions performed on Odessa residents regardless of where the abortions take place. It also prohibits human trafficking and prohibits the city from entering into any contracts with groups funding abortions. It has a private civil enforcement mechanism.
Mark Lee Dickson, director with Right to Life of East Texas and founder of the Sanctuary City for the Unborn movement, said Odessa is one of the largest cities to pass an ordinance protecting unborn babies.
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“The Odessa ordinance actually goes further than some of the other ordinances do in prohibiting abortion performed on residents of Odessa, even in New Mexico and Colorado,” he told American Family News.
He said the ordinance also promotes resources to help pregnant and parenting mothers through the Texas Pregnancy Care Network.
State-wide, Texas law also protects unborn babies by banning elective abortions. However, the local ordinances create additional measures to ensure that babies in the womb are being protected under both state and local law.
A growing grassroots movement is working to protect unborn babies at the local level. To-date, 62 cities in Texas, Ohio, Nebraska and New Mexico have passed Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinances that protect unborn babies from abortion within city limits. Earlier this month, a New Mexico county also passed a pro-life ordinance.
Other cities and counties have passed pro-life resolutions, which are statements of support but not enforceable law, that recognize unborn babies’ right to life. In Arkansas, 19 counties and 10 cities and towns have passed pro-life resolutions, according to Family Council of Arkansas. Several North Carolina counties passed pro-life resolutions recently, too, and the New Mexico county commissioners of Otero approved a resolution in July condemning the pro-abortion laws in their state.
ACTION ALERT: Contact the Odessa City Council to thank them.
