Texas County Passes Law Banning Abortions, Protecting Women and Unborn Children

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 29, 2023   |   9:45AM   |   Goliad, Texas

A Texas County just became the 71st local government in the nation to enact legislation to protect unborn babies from abortion through a Sanctuary County for the Unborn ordinance.

Last night, the County Commission of Goliad County, Texas, voted in favor of adopting an ordinance “Outlawing Abortion Within the Unincorporated Area of Goliad County.” The vote was unanimous, 4-0.

Texas law protects unborn babies by banning elective abortions, but the ordinance puts additional local protections in place. The pro-life measure prohibits killing unborn babies in abortions as well as trafficking women and girls out of the county for elective abortions.

Mark Lee Dickson, a director with Right to Life of East Texas and founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative, shared the news. He said passage of the ordinance means “a total of 71 political subdivisions have now passed Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn ordinances throughout the United States.” That includes 67 cities and 4 counties.

Dickson described for LifeNews what this pro-life law accomplishes:

In addition to prohibiting abortion within the unincorporated area of Goliad County, the ordinance prohibits the performing of elective abortions and the aiding or abetting of abortions performed on residents of the unincorporated area of Goliad County “regardless of the location of the abortion, regardless of the law in the jurisdiction where the abortion occurred, and regardless of whether the person knew or should have known that the abortion was performed or induced on a resident of the unincorporated area of Goliad County.”

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The ordinance also prohibits abortion-inducing drugs within the unincorporated area of Goliad County, prohibits the transport and disposal of aborted fetal remains from any abortion provider within the unincorporated area of Goliad County, prohibits criminal organizations from operating within the unincorporated area of Goliad County, and prohibits abortion trafficking by making it unlawful “for any person to knowingly transport any individual for the purpose of providing or obtaining an elective abortion, regardless of where the elective abortion will occur.”

The abortion trafficking provision, which only applies if the transportation of such individual “begins, ends, or passes through the unincorporated area of Goliad County,” makes it illegal for anyone to use the sections of Hwy 59, Hwy 183, Hwy 239, Hwy 119, and all sections of all other roads found in the unincorporated area of Goliad County for the purpose of abortion trafficking.

Patrick Von Dohlen, Goliad Native and co-founder of the San Antonio Family Association, shared, “This day will be a day to remember Goliad again! ‘Remember Goliad!’ was integral to the battle cry of Texas and the Texian victory at the Battle of San Jacinto when Texas won its freedom from Mexico and its tyrannical dictator, Presidente General Santa Anna, who was an abuser of women and children.”

Von Dohlen continued, “Today, five Texas men on the County Commissioners Court exhibited their faith in God and valiant courage to outlaw abortion in Goliad County. Goliad will be remembered again, but this time not for who was massacred here but who was saved from being massacred. Goliad County and its residents will now officially help protect young girls from being sexually trafficked and many children won’t be murdered through abortion. It just goes to show that with faith in God, good can rise out of evil, and very good things can be accomplished through love and perseverance. It’s a great day in Texas History! Viva Goliad! Viva Texas!”

Upon hearing of the news, State Representative Geanie W. Morrison (HD 30) shared, “I am proud of Goliad County for protecting LIFE.”

So far, 71 ciities in Texas, Ohio, Nebraska, Louisiana, Iowa, Illinois and New Mexico and three counties have passed Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinances that protect unborn babies through abortion bans and similar restrictions.

More cities, including in Nevada and Virginia, are considering ordinances this year.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, at least 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, too, and the New Mexico county commissioners of Otero approved a resolution in July condemning the pro-abortion laws in their state.