Lubbock Becomes Largest City in U.S. to Outlaw Abortion

On Saturday, the voters of Lubbock, Texas, overwhelmingly approved a city ordinance that outlawed abortion with the city limits as well as declared Lubbock a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn.” The vote was 62.46% of voters in favor and 37.54% opposed.

Lubbock’s approval means the city is the largest city by far in the United States to outlaw abortion; Lubbock has an estimated population of 258,862. 22 other Texas cities and two cities in Nebraska had passed ordinances with similar intent, but Lubbock is the only town with an active abortion clinic.

Last November, the Lubbock City Council rejected the ordinance after a petition drive forced a vote by the Lubbock City Council. But then the committee responsible for the petition forced the city council to approve a May election to consider the matter.

“Lubbock did not have a working abortion clinic in the city until April 15, when the Planned Parenthood Health Center began offering abortions,” Everything Lubbock noted, adding, “However, the ordinance would not be enforceable through penalties ‘unless and until’ either of three things happens: The Supreme Court overrules Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, a state or federal court rules that it does not impose an undue burden on women seeking abortions, or a state or federal court rules the entity being penalized ‘lacks third-party standing to assert the rights of women seeking abortions in court.’”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas reacted to the ordinance passing by stating, “The ACLU has a long history of challenging unconstitutional abortion bans and will continue to fight to protect the fundamental rights of the people of Lubbock.”