In a 4 to 3 vote, Abilene leadership punted the ordinance to November. The unusual vote may run afoul of the city charter.
The "Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn" initiative has evolved substantially to present Abilene with one of the strictest ordinances yet.
State politicians Rep. Dustin Burrows and Sen. Charles Perry both encouraged passage of the ban. Burrows spoke at the meeting.
The proposed ordinance is no longer in the council’s hands at this point. The citizens of San Angelo will pass or reject it at the ballot box.
If enough of the signatures are certified, the process will require the Abilene City Council to consider the local abortion ban.
Insiders say Abilene's city attorney has cautioned the mayor about the proposed ban, a common trend among even the reddest Texas towns.
The activist behind the initiative says it's common for city leaders in Republican areas to avoid the proposal.
The Panhandle town of Nazareth adopted the ordinance this morning, becoming the 36th town in Texas to outlaw abortion.
The state-versus-local saga continues as Abilene officials draw a hard line against enforcing the governor's latest closure order.
Ordinances to prohibit abortion are gaining traction in East Texas as three new towns have become "sanctuary cities for the unborn" in less than two weeks.
Pro-life advocates in Gilmer and Abilene are encouraging their city councils to adopt ordinances establishing a "sanctuary city for the unborn," which would ban abortion in city limits.
