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Texas city of Lamesa to consider outlawing abortion trafficking
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this guest post are solely those of the author.
After another successful citizen initiative petition, another Texas city council is set to consider an ordinance outlawing abortion trafficking.
On Tuesday, September 8, a citizen-initiative petition with 418 signatures was filed with the City of Lamesa, Texas (pop. 9,461), proposing a Sanctuary City for the Unborn (SCFTU) ordinance further outlawing abortion.
According to Article IV, § 9b of the Lamesa City Charter:
Any initiated ordinance may be submitted to the council by a petition signed by qualified electors of the city equal in number to at least twenty (20) per cent of the number of votes cast at the time of the last general municipal election, or by two hundred and fifty (250) qualified electors, whichever is the greater.
With the number of votes cast at the time of the May 2026 General Election found to be 78 for the District 3 City Council election, and with the votes cast at the time of the May 2025 General Election found to be 390 for the citywide Mayoral election, it was determined that a total of 250 qualified signatures would be necessary for a successful initiative.
On Friday, September 18, City Manager Aron Kulhavy shared that the citizen initiative petition "has no deficiencies in its submittal," "meets the minimum threshold," and that the City of Lamesa "will be proceeding accordingly."
On Tuesday, October 20, the Lamesa City Council considered accepting the citizen initiative petition in support of an ordinance further outlawing abortion and declaring the City of Lamesa a Sanctuary City for the Unborn and called for a public hearing. According to Article IV, § 9b(7):
Whenever the council receives a petition from the city secretary, it shall be immediately considered. A proposed initiative ordinance shall be read and provision shall be made for a public hearing.
The vote to accept the petition and call for a public hearing, as required by the Lamesa City Charter, was 6-1. Mayor Hayden Davis and Councilmembers Albert Martinez (District 2), Pete Capetillo (District 3), Monica Castro (District 4), Bobby Gonzales (District 5), and James Grayson (District 6) all voted in favor, while Councilmember Joseph Smith (District 1) voted against.
As reported by The Lamesa Press Reporter on October 23, 2026, Mayor Hayden Davis said, “We’re just moving to the formality phrase. It’s just something we have to do as per the charter. So we have to hear it out. That’s all we’re doing at this point and time.”
After the vote, Lamesa resident Liza Pate shared, “I’ve been a resident of Lamesa most of my life. I’d like to see the Lamesa City Council adopt the ordinance making Lamesa a Sanctuary City for the Unborn.”
Lamesa resident Linda Orr felt the same way:
"I was born in Dawson County. I have lived here 90% of my 75 years. The improvement of our community is important to me.
During my first pregnancy, I was advised to terminate my pregnancy because of the high fatality risk. My daughter from that pregnancy is a healthy 55-year-old. I feel like adopting a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance would only improve the moral fiber of Lamesa.
In God I trust. I hope our city’s leaders will do the same and vote for life."
The first reading and public hearing of the “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion and Declaring Lamesa a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” was set for Tuesday, November 17, 2026. To be adopted, the proposed Lamesa SCFTU ordinance must survive two readings. If the proposed Lamesa SCFTU ordinance does not survive either reading, the measure will go before voters in the May 2027 election.
If adopted by the Lamesa City Council, the proposed Lamesa SCFTU ordinance will:
Prohibit elective abortions and the aiding or abetting of elective abortions within the City of Lamesa by extending the private enforcement mechanism of the Texas Heartbeat Act from the point of detectable heartbeat to the point of fertilization.
Prohibit elective abortions on residents of the City of Lamesa – regardless of where the abortion takes place.
Prohibit abortion traffickers and abortion trafficking organizations from trafficking women, including minors, through the City of Lamesa for abortions across state lines.
Prohibit abortion-inducing drugs from being mailed into the City of Lamesa by the creation of a localized private right of action, serving as an additional deterrent against out-of-state abortion pill distributors.
Recognize any organization involved in the mailing and receiving of abortion inducing drugs and abortion paraphernalia as criminal abortion organizations in violation of the federal Comstock Act and prohibit such organizations from doing business within the City of Lamesa.
Prohibit Texas waste management companies from transporting through the City of Lamesa the remains of dead babies that have been aborted at abortion facilities outside the State of Texas and brought back into Texas for disposal as trash in landfills.
The ordinance is enforced the same way the Texas Heartbeat Act is enforced: through a private enforcement mechanism that allows private citizens to file a lawsuit against any individual or organization that violates the ordinance. The ordinance DOES NOT, however, allow any action to be taken against the mother of the unborn child.
According to the proposed Lamesa SCFTU Ordinance:
Notwithstanding any other law, a civil action under this section may not be brought: against the woman upon whom the abortion was performed or induced or attempted to be performed or induced in violation of this ordinance, or against a pregnant woman who intends or seeks to abort her unborn child in violation of this ordinance.
The Lamesa SCFTU Ordinance is identical in substance to the ordinance outlawing abortion and declaring Dawson County a Sanctuary County for the Unborn. The Dawson County SCFTU Ordinance, which covers the unincorporated area of Dawson County, was adopted in a unanimous 4-0 vote on December 18, 2023, by Commissioners Mark Shofner, Ryan Webb, Nicky Goode, and Russell Cox, with Judge Foy O’Brien presiding.
The City of O’Donnell adopted the ordinance in a unanimous 5-0 vote on April 8, 2026, and the City of Ackerly adopted the ordinance in a unanimous 6-0 vote on December 1, 2020.
Following Brownfield, Muleshoe, Ranger, Denver City, Snyder, and Seminole, the Lamesa SCFTU petition is the seventh successful citizen-initiative petition filed in Texas this year seeking to further protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children from the violence of abortion.
To date, 14 city councils in Texas have considered SCFTU ordinances after a successful citizen-initiative petition process. Seven of those cities have put the measures on citywide ballots for residents to vote on: Lubbock (May 2021), Athens, Abilene, San Angelo, Plainview (November 2022), Amarillo (November 2024), and Seminole (November 2026).
Of the seven cities that have voted on the measure, only one city’s residents rejected the measure – Amarillo.
Seven city councils chose to adopt the measure themselves as a result of successful citizen-initiative petitions, thereby avoiding additional costs incurred by a citywide election: Slaton (December 2021), Lindale (March 2022), Brownfield, Muleshoe, Ranger (May 2026), Denver City (August 2026), and Snyder (October 2026).
Time will tell whether the Lamesa City Council will go the route of Brownfield, Muleshoe, Ranger, Denver City, and Snyder, or the route of the City of Seminole in a long, drawn-out, and costly May election.
Since June 2019, 125 political subdivisions (101 cities and 24 counties) have passed local measures outlawing abortion throughout the United States, including 106 (84 cities and 22 counties) in Texas.
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.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
Diana L. Banister
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International
Diana L. Banister
·
Guest Column
Oregon Right to Life
·
Guest Column
Lisa Murphy
·
Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·
Guest Column
Omar L. Hamada MD, MBA, FACOG, FAAFP
·Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·
Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·
Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·
Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·
Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·Guest Column·By Mark Lee Dickson
Texas city of Lamesa to consider outlawing abortion trafficking
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this guest post are solely those of the author.
After another successful citizen initiative petition, another Texas city council is set to consider an ordinance outlawing abortion trafficking.
On Tuesday, September 8, a citizen-initiative petition with 418 signatures was filed with the City of Lamesa, Texas (pop. 9,461), proposing a Sanctuary City for the Unborn (SCFTU) ordinance further outlawing abortion.
According to Article IV, § 9b of the Lamesa City Charter:
Any initiated ordinance may be submitted to the council by a petition signed by qualified electors of the city equal in number to at least twenty (20) per cent of the number of votes cast at the time of the last general municipal election, or by two hundred and fifty (250) qualified electors, whichever is the greater.
With the number of votes cast at the time of the May 2026 General Election found to be 78 for the District 3 City Council election, and with the votes cast at the time of the May 2025 General Election found to be 390 for the citywide Mayoral election, it was determined that a total of 250 qualified signatures would be necessary for a successful initiative.
On Friday, September 18, City Manager Aron Kulhavy shared that the citizen initiative petition "has no deficiencies in its submittal," "meets the minimum threshold," and that the City of Lamesa "will be proceeding accordingly."
On Tuesday, October 20, the Lamesa City Council considered accepting the citizen initiative petition in support of an ordinance further outlawing abortion and declaring the City of Lamesa a Sanctuary City for the Unborn and called for a public hearing. According to Article IV, § 9b(7):
Whenever the council receives a petition from the city secretary, it shall be immediately considered. A proposed initiative ordinance shall be read and provision shall be made for a public hearing.
The vote to accept the petition and call for a public hearing, as required by the Lamesa City Charter, was 6-1. Mayor Hayden Davis and Councilmembers Albert Martinez (District 2), Pete Capetillo (District 3), Monica Castro (District 4), Bobby Gonzales (District 5), and James Grayson (District 6) all voted in favor, while Councilmember Joseph Smith (District 1) voted against.
As reported by The Lamesa Press Reporter on October 23, 2026, Mayor Hayden Davis said, “We’re just moving to the formality phrase. It’s just something we have to do as per the charter. So we have to hear it out. That’s all we’re doing at this point and time.”
After the vote, Lamesa resident Liza Pate shared, “I’ve been a resident of Lamesa most of my life. I’d like to see the Lamesa City Council adopt the ordinance making Lamesa a Sanctuary City for the Unborn.”
Lamesa resident Linda Orr felt the same way:
"I was born in Dawson County. I have lived here 90% of my 75 years. The improvement of our community is important to me.
During my first pregnancy, I was advised to terminate my pregnancy because of the high fatality risk. My daughter from that pregnancy is a healthy 55-year-old. I feel like adopting a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance would only improve the moral fiber of Lamesa.
In God I trust. I hope our city’s leaders will do the same and vote for life."
The first reading and public hearing of the “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion and Declaring Lamesa a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” was set for Tuesday, November 17, 2026. To be adopted, the proposed Lamesa SCFTU ordinance must survive two readings. If the proposed Lamesa SCFTU ordinance does not survive either reading, the measure will go before voters in the May 2027 election.
If adopted by the Lamesa City Council, the proposed Lamesa SCFTU ordinance will:
Prohibit elective abortions and the aiding or abetting of elective abortions within the City of Lamesa by extending the private enforcement mechanism of the Texas Heartbeat Act from the point of detectable heartbeat to the point of fertilization.
Prohibit elective abortions on residents of the City of Lamesa – regardless of where the abortion takes place.
Prohibit abortion traffickers and abortion trafficking organizations from trafficking women, including minors, through the City of Lamesa for abortions across state lines.
Prohibit abortion-inducing drugs from being mailed into the City of Lamesa by the creation of a localized private right of action, serving as an additional deterrent against out-of-state abortion pill distributors.
Recognize any organization involved in the mailing and receiving of abortion inducing drugs and abortion paraphernalia as criminal abortion organizations in violation of the federal Comstock Act and prohibit such organizations from doing business within the City of Lamesa.
Prohibit Texas waste management companies from transporting through the City of Lamesa the remains of dead babies that have been aborted at abortion facilities outside the State of Texas and brought back into Texas for disposal as trash in landfills.
The ordinance is enforced the same way the Texas Heartbeat Act is enforced: through a private enforcement mechanism that allows private citizens to file a lawsuit against any individual or organization that violates the ordinance. The ordinance DOES NOT, however, allow any action to be taken against the mother of the unborn child.
According to the proposed Lamesa SCFTU Ordinance:
Notwithstanding any other law, a civil action under this section may not be brought: against the woman upon whom the abortion was performed or induced or attempted to be performed or induced in violation of this ordinance, or against a pregnant woman who intends or seeks to abort her unborn child in violation of this ordinance.
The Lamesa SCFTU Ordinance is identical in substance to the ordinance outlawing abortion and declaring Dawson County a Sanctuary County for the Unborn. The Dawson County SCFTU Ordinance, which covers the unincorporated area of Dawson County, was adopted in a unanimous 4-0 vote on December 18, 2023, by Commissioners Mark Shofner, Ryan Webb, Nicky Goode, and Russell Cox, with Judge Foy O’Brien presiding.
The City of O’Donnell adopted the ordinance in a unanimous 5-0 vote on April 8, 2026, and the City of Ackerly adopted the ordinance in a unanimous 6-0 vote on December 1, 2020.
Following Brownfield, Muleshoe, Ranger, Denver City, Snyder, and Seminole, the Lamesa SCFTU petition is the seventh successful citizen-initiative petition filed in Texas this year seeking to further protect pregnant mothers and their unborn children from the violence of abortion.
To date, 14 city councils in Texas have considered SCFTU ordinances after a successful citizen-initiative petition process. Seven of those cities have put the measures on citywide ballots for residents to vote on: Lubbock (May 2021), Athens, Abilene, San Angelo, Plainview (November 2022), Amarillo (November 2024), and Seminole (November 2026).
Of the seven cities that have voted on the measure, only one city’s residents rejected the measure – Amarillo.
Seven city councils chose to adopt the measure themselves as a result of successful citizen-initiative petitions, thereby avoiding additional costs incurred by a citywide election: Slaton (December 2021), Lindale (March 2022), Brownfield, Muleshoe, Ranger (May 2026), Denver City (August 2026), and Snyder (October 2026).
Time will tell whether the Lamesa City Council will go the route of Brownfield, Muleshoe, Ranger, Denver City, and Snyder, or the route of the City of Seminole in a long, drawn-out, and costly May election.
Since June 2019, 125 political subdivisions (101 cities and 24 counties) have passed local measures outlawing abortion throughout the United States, including 106 (84 cities and 22 counties) in Texas.
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.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
Diana L. Banister
·International
Diana L. Banister
·Guest Column
Oregon Right to Life
·Guest Column
Lisa Murphy
·Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·Guest Column
Omar L. Hamada MD, MBA, FACOG, FAAFP
·Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·Guest Column
Mark Lee Dickson
·