LINDALE, Texas — The Lindale City Council voted Thursday night to make abortion illegal within the town's city limits through approval of an "Sanctuary City for the Unborn" ordinance.
After roughly three hours of a public hearing including several residents speaking in favor of the ordinance, the councilmembers voted unanimously to approve the initiative at Picker's Pavilion in Lindale.
The hearing was scheduled in light of a citizen initiative petition that was given to the city council in favor of outlawing abortion.
According to the government code, once petitioners collect the required number of signatures for the council to act, the city council can either adopt the proposed ordinance or call an election on the ordinance.
Following approval Thursday night, Lindale is the 15th city in East Texas to become a "Sanctuary City for the Unborn."
Other area cities to implement the law are Waskom, Joaquin, Gilmer, Tenaha, Naples, Rusk, Gary, Wells, East Mountain, Grapeland, Murchison, Latexo, Poynor and Brownsboro, according to the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn website.
Right to Life of East Texas Director Mark Lee Dickson, who leads the sanctuary city initiative, said Lindale is the first city council to pass the ordinance as a result of citizens gathering petition signatures.
"As always, it is great to see a city’s leaders stand for life. We saw three victories this week. On Tuesday we saw Shallowater, Texas in Lubbock County outlaw abortion, on Wednesday we saw Pollock, Louisiana in Grant Parish outlaw abortion, and on Thursday night we saw Lindale, Texas in Smith County outlaw abortion," Dickson said. "While we are celebrating all three of those victories, Lindale is East Texas and Right To Life of East Texas is thrilled to see another city in our neck of the woods become a sanctuary city for the unborn."
Dickson, who worked with the council on language within the ordinance, said over 500 people came to the hearing in support of the initiative.
Lindale is also the 47th city in the country and 42nd city in Texas to "pass an enforceable ordinance outlawing abortion within their city limits," Dickson said.
The effort to have Lindale become a "Sanctuary City for the Unborn" began in February 2020 when the city council approved a resolution - instead of an ordinance - stating that human life begins at conception.
The city attorney advised the council at the time that an ordinance could not be enforced legally and would lead to potential costly litigation.