Two Texas cities become 86th and 87th Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn in US

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

On Monday, December 8, two Texas city councils and one Texas county passed ordinances outlawing abortion within their jurisdictions.

Unanimous Votes:

Roaring Springs/Motley County

The city council of Roaring Springs, Texas (pop. 219), was the first city in Motley County to pass an ordinance, titled, “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Roaring Springs a Sanctuary City for the Unborn,” and it did so in a unanimous 6-0 vote. The vote made the City of Roaring Springs, located between Dickens (pop. 332) and Matador (pop. 570), the 69th city in the State of Texas and the 86th city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion.

Earlier that morning, Motley County became the 13th county in Texas and the 15th county in the nation to pass a “Sanctuary County for the Unborn” Ordinance. Motley County’s Judge and Commissioners passed their measure in a unanimous 5-0 vote. The only other city in Motley County left to consider such a measure is the City of Matador (pop. 570). 

Olton

Also on December 8, the city council of Olton, Texas (pop. 2,228), about 85 miles from Roaring Springs, passed an “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, declaring Olton a Sanctuary City for the Unborn” in a unanimous 4-0 vote. The vote made the City of Olton, located between Springlake (pop. 110) and Plainview (pop. 22,343), the 70th city in the State of Texas and the 87th city in the nation to pass an ordinance banning abortion.

Olton is the first city in Lamb County to pass a Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance. Other cities in Lamb County that could pass the measure include: Littlefield (pop. 5,871), Earth (pop. 1,065), Sudan (pop. 958), Amherst (pop. 671), and Springlake (pop. 110). Lamb County (pop. 13,045) could also pass a ‘Sanctuary County for the Unborn’ ordinance covering the unincorporated area of Lamb County.

The City of Lorenzo (pop. 1,327), located about 70 miles away in Crosby County, also considered the measure, but it died due to a lack of a motion after Mayor Pro-Tem Cheryl Birdwell led an impassioned speech against the measure.

The Ordinances:

The Roaring Springs Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance prohibits:

(1) performing an elective abortion and aiding or abetting elective abortions within the city limits of Roaring Springs,

(2) elective abortions on residents of Roaring Springs – regardless of where the abortion takes place,

(3) abortion trafficking through the City of Roaring Springs,

(4) the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into the City of Roaring Springs,

(5) criminal organizations from doing business inside the city limits of Roaring Springs, and

(6) the transportation or disposal of the remains of unborn children who have been killed by an elective abortion across state lines and carried by waste management companies into Texas in and through the City of Roaring Springs.

The Olton Sanctuary City for the Unborn Ordinance likewise prohibits:

(1) performing an elective abortion and aiding or abetting elective abortions within the city limits of Olton,

(2) elective abortions on residents of Olton – regardless of where the abortion takes place,

(3) abortion trafficking through the City of Olton,

(4) the mailing of abortion-inducing drugs into the City of Olton,

(5) criminal organizations from doing business inside the city limits of Olton, and

(6) the transportation or disposal of the remains of unborn children who have been killed by an elective abortion across state lines and carried by waste management companies into Texas in and through the City of Olton.

Private Enforcement:

The Roaring Springs and Olton Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Ordinances are enforced the same way the Texas Heartbeat Act is enforced, through a private enforcement mechanism allowing private citizens to file civil lawsuits against anyone in violation of the law.

The Ordinances also educate about the state-funded Thriving Texas Families Program and the services provided through pregnancy care providers partnered with the Texas Pregnancy Care Network and The Pregnancy Network. 

In August 2023, Senator Charles Perry (SD-28) and 19 other Texas Senators and Representatives penned a letter in support of cities and counties passing ordinances outlawing abortion across the State of Texas. In October 2023, that letter was followed by a letter of support from seven Senators and Representatives in New Mexico wanting to see more Texas cities and counties take action. 

Since the beginning of this year, 24 political subdivisions have passed ordinances outlawing abortion and abortion trafficking, including: Hopkins County (pop. 38,784), Howard County (pop. 34,860), Shelby County (pop. 24,192), Camp County (pop. 13,094), Wolfforth (pop. 9,600), New Boston (pop. 4,686), Clyde (pop. 4,051), Shackelford County (pop. 3,105), Hooks (pop. 2,769), Olton, (pop. 2,228), Dickens County (pop. 1,725), Big Sandy (pop. 1,343), Motley County (pop. 1,063), Como (pop. 758), Talco (pop. 492), Avery (pop. 462), Avinger (pop. 371), Lueders (pop. 346), Annona (pop. 288), Moran (pop. 285), Douglassville (pop. 229), Roaring Springs (pop. 219), Mullin (pop. 196), and Marietta (pop. 115). 

The measures, supported by Senators and Representatives across Texas and New Mexico, will be considered by more cities and counties in Texas in the coming days and weeks.

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.