Lubbock, Texas becomes largest city in the US to pass abortion ban By Raymond Wolfe for Life Site News
Under the ordinance, surviving relatives of aborted preborn babies can sue abortion providers for compensatory damages, including for emotional distress.
Last week, voters in Lubbock, Texas, approved a ballot measure to ban abortion and allow relatives of aborted babies to sue abortion providers.
With more than 250,000 residents, Lubbock becomes the largest city in the United States to declare itself a “sanctuary city for the unborn,” and the 26th city overall to do so. Voters approved the ordinance by roughly 62% to 37%.
Support Our Site
Now is your chance to support Gospel News Network.
We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
“It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the City of Lubbock, Texas,” the ordinance states. “It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly aid or abet an abortion that occurs in the City of Lubbock, Texas.”
Under the policy, abortion providers could be penalized with “maximum penalty permitted under Texas law” for violation of city public health ordinance, though the measure includes life-of-the-mother exemptions.
“The victory is significant to many as the City of Lubbock is the 11th most populated city in the State of Texas and the 83rd most populated city in the United States,” wrote Mark Lee Dickson, director of Right to Life of East Texas and founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative. “Lubbock is also home to Texas Tech University, the seventh largest university by enrollment in the State of Texas,” he noted.
Last year, Mayor Dan Pope and the Lubbock city council voted against the “sanctuary city for the unborn” measure when it was brought up for hearing due to a citizen petition.
“Since the vote of the council was forced by the Initiative and Referendum process, this allowed for Lubbock residents to take the opportunity to get the ordinance on the ballot and to vote on the ordinance themselves on May 1, 2021,” Dickson explained.
Mayor Pope, who staunchly opposed the ordinance and compared Planned Parenthood centers to churches, wrote in a statement last week that “voters made it clear that Lubbock will become the next sanctuary city for the unborn.” Pope added that he and the city councilmen will “begin the process in adding the approved ordinance to the City of Lubbock Code of Ordinances.” The measure could take effect as early as June 1.
