22nd Texas county outlaws abortion and use of roads for ‘abortion trafficking’

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this guest post are solely those of the author.

​On Tuesday, July 21, Scurry County Commissioners’ Court considered an ordinance outlawing abortion and declaring Scurry County a Sanctuary County for the Unborn.

After a brief period of discussion about the ordinance, Commissioner Shawn McCowen made the motion to adopt the measure, stating, “This is a no-brainer. I don’t even know why we are discussing it.”

A unanimous vote

Commissioner Terry Williams seconded the motion. Upon a full vote of the court, County Judge Dan Hicks and Commissioners Terry Williams, Doug Scott, and Shawn McCowen all voted in favor of the measure – making the vote a unanimous 4-0. Commissioner Jeff Mitchell was not present for the vote.

​The unanimous 4-0 passage made Scurry County (pop. 16,932) the 22nd county in Texas to outlaw abortion trafficking—following Mitchell (pop. 9,070), Goliad (pop. 7,012), Cochran (pop. 2,547), Lubbock (pop. 317,561), Dawson (pop. 12,130), Jack (pop. 8,875), Shackelford (pop. 3,105), Camp (pop. 13,164), Shelby (pop. 24,179), Hopkins (pop. 38,784), Dickens (pop. 1,725), Howard (pop. 34,860), Motley (pop. 1,063), Crosby (pop. 5,133), Borden (pop. 631), Hall (pop. 2,825), Hood (pop. 61,598),

Enthusiastic support

​After the meeting, Scurry County Republican Chairman Zachary Gafford shared:

"Scurry County has taken a principled stand for life. I am grateful to our commissioners for their courage in passing this ordinance and for listening to the will of the people they serve. Scurry County joins a growing number of counties that have taken this step to close the gaps in protecting life by stopping abortion trafficking. This is what it looks like when local government serves its people -- born and unborn."

​Snyder First Assembly of God Lead Pastor Mandy Pena shared:

"Many people in small towns want to think of issues like abortion and human trafficking as issues that are “out there,” as though they do not affect our own community. They do happen in our community and in every town in America. Brokenness is everywhere. These are not political issues; they are spiritual issues, and if righteous people stay silent or do nothing, evil wins. I am thankful for the leadership of the Scurry County Commissioners willing to stand for Life."

​Scurry County resident Johnnie Stansell shared:

​"I’m so proud to be a Scurry County resident. Thank you, Judge Hicks, Commissioners 

McCowen, Scott, and Williams for supporting such an important issue. Thank you for letting our voices be heard. This is a positive step in our community to save unborn babies and to protect young mothers from the trauma of the aftermath of an abortion."

​Isaac Castro, who serves as the 259th District Attorney over nearby Jones and Shackelford Counties, shared,

"I am proud of the Scurry County Commissioners for their commitment to the right to life of the unborn! Having spent a great deal of time in Scurry County, I am not surprised that the Commissioners reflected the values of their constituents."

​The Scurry County SCFTU Ordinance

​The Scurry County SCFTU Ordinance prohibits elective abortions and the aiding or abetting of elective abortions within the unincorporated area of Scurry County, as well as the performing of an elective abortion and the aiding or abetting of an elective abortion on a resident of the unincorporated area of Scurry 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 Scurry County.”

​As a result of the ordinance, it is now illegal “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” as long as such activity “begins, ends, or passes through Scurry County.”

​This means it is now illegal “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” as long as such activity "begins, ends, or passes through Scurry County.” This means it is now illegal to use the sections of U.S. Highway 84, U.S. Highway 180, State Highway 208, State Highway 350, and all sections of all other roads found in the unincorporated area of Scurry County for abortion trafficking.

The Scurry County Sanctuary County for the Unborn Ordinance connects to the county ordinances passed in Collingsworth, Hall, Motley, King, Dickens, Crosby, Lubbock, Lynn, Dawson, Borden, Howard, Mitchell, and Sterling—extending the 'Wall of Ordinances' prohibiting abortion trafficking. The ordinances are part of a cultural shift that looks at abortion trafficking the same way as drug trafficking or sex trafficking and is intentionally written to facilitate the end of abortion throughout the United States.​

The ordinance also prohibits abortion-inducing drugs within the unincorporated area of Scurry County, prohibits Texas waste management companies from transporting and disposing of aborted fetal remains from any out-of-state abortion provider within the unincorporated area of Scurry County, and declares organizations in violation of the federal Comstock Act – which prohibits the mailing and receiving of abortion inducing drugs and abortion paraphernalia – to be criminal organizations, prohibiting such organizations from operating within the unincorporated area of Scurry County.

The Private Enforcement Mechanism

​The Scurry County SCFTU ordinance is not enforced by Scurry County, its elected officials, or any of their employees. Instead of being enforced criminally, the law is enforced civilly by private citizens.

This is the same way the Texas Heartbeat Act is enforced: through a private enforcement mechanism that allows private citizens to file a lawsuit against anyone in violation of the law. The Scurry County SCFTU ordinance does not allow any lawsuit to be filed against the mother of the unborn child, but only against the abortionist and those who are aiding or abetting the abortionist in the killing of an unborn child.

​In addition to the strong protections for pregnant mothers and their unborn children within the local law, the Scurry County SCFTU ordinance also educates about the statewide Thriving Texas Families Program, which helps connect pregnant mothers to a variety of resources through centers listed on the Texas Pregnancy Care Network website and The Pregnancy Network website.

​The only part of the county not covered by the Scurry County SCFTU ordinance is the City of Snyder (pop. 11,251). A citizen initiative petition is currently being circulated so the city can have the same protections for pregnant mothers and their unborn children that are now in the unincorporated area of the county.

​13th Unanimous Vote For Life This Year

​Scurry County’s vote was the 13th unanimous passage of the ordinance by a political subdivision in Texas this year, following: the City of Matador (pop. 570), Borden County (pop. 631), the City of Lockney (pop. 1,988), Hall County (pop. 2,825), Hood County (pop. 61,598), the City of Wellman (pop. 205), King County (pop. 265), Sterling County (pop. 1,372), the City of O’Donnell (pop. 704), Lynn County (pop. 5,596), Collingsworth County (pop. 2,652), and the City of Ranger (pop. 2,469).

Two cities that adopted the measure this year were not unanimous on their decision: the City of Brownfield (pop. 9,976) and the City of Muleshoe (pop. 5,158). The vote in Brownfield was 5-3, and the vote in Muleshoe was 4-1.

​The only two political subdivisions that have rejected the measure and are currently rejecting the measure in 2026 have been Terry County (pop. 11,602) and the City of Comanche (pop. 4,294). While the vote against the measure in Terry County was unanimous, 4-0, the vote against the measure in Comanche was 3-1.

​Citizens who wish to see their city or county pass an ordinance to further protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children from the violence of abortion are encouraged to sign the online petition – regardless of what city, county, or state they are located in.