City Council to discuss, consider abortion ordinance options – The Amarillo Pioneer

Following the filing of a petition to implement various abortion-related bans in the city, the Amarillo City Council will meet on Tuesday, May 28 to discuss the proposed ordinance as well as an alternative.

The petition’s proposed ordinance includes banning performing abortions in Amarillo, performing abortions on Amarillo residents, “trafficking in abortions,” abortion-inducing drugs, and transporting or disposing of the remains of an aborted child in the city. The bans would be enforced only through private civil actions.

Locally, many conservatives have expressed skepticism of the ordinance. In particular, some have criticized the ban on abortion trafficking as a travel ban. At a recent press conference, Mayor Cole Stanley said that “freedom of movement is very important and we should never support any measure that would limit it.”

Some local conservatives have also expressed concerns about the private right of action. The provision, modeled after the Texas Heartbeat Act, was initially included in state law as a way to avoid having the state’s abortion bans directly challenge Roe v Wade, which had not yet been was overturned when the Heartbeat Act was first passed. Activist Mark Lee Dickson defended the provision as non-negotiable, saying it is necessary in part because an employee of the Randall County Prosecutor’s Office has a history of working for pro-choice organizations.

A similar proposal was recently rejected in Clarendon, the Donley County seat. Donley County has a reputation for being among the most conservative in the state, with more than 87% of the county’s votes in 2020 going to Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, some on the left have vigorously supported the petition process, hoping the proposal makes it onto the November ballot. “Let people vote to see if women are people or incubators,” activist Nathan Smith said at a recent council meeting, reiterating his calls for the item to be put to a vote.

If the city does not adopt the proposed ordinance within 30 days of Tuesday’s meeting, the initiative committee may exercise the right to have the item placed on the November ballot.

During the meeting, the council will also discuss and possibly consider an alternative ordinance. The ordinance would incorporate three provisions of the Texas Health and Safety Code into the Amarillo Municipal Code. The first provision, Chapter 170A, creates criminal liability for causing or performing abortions. The second, Chapter 171, restricts abortion-inducing drugs and creates private civil liability for aiding or abetting the inducement or performance of an abortion. The third, chapter 697, imposes restrictions on the disposition of fetal and embryonic tissues.

Discussion and potential action on both items should be preceded by a public comment section reserved for both, with the public comment section and orders being the last three items on the agenda before adjournment.

The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. and will take place on the third floor of Amarillo City Hall. The full agenda and meeting agenda are available at this link.