Update: Friday, May 17, 2:24 p.m.
The Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance (ARFA) released a statement following the press conference hosted by the City Council on Thursday and statements from Mark Lee Dickson, the founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative.
In a statement, officials with ARFA said:
“We respect the petition process and fully support our fellow community member’s right to participate in our local government. However, this petition is not representative of Amarillo as a whole, and we encourage the Council to allow a citywide vote to ensure the true voice of our city is heard. We trust that well-informed voters will reject the extremism found in this ordinance.”
Harper Metcalf, co-founder of the Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance (ARFA)
Original Story
AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) —After the announcement made by the City of Amarillo of the validation of the Sanctuary City for the Unborn petitionThursday, Mayor Cole Stanleyhadanewsconference over what the next steps will be.
As previously reported on MyHighPlains.com, the petition will be presented to the city council at its regularly scheduled meeting on May 28 per the city charter,and the city council may havea public meeting to consider the proposed ordinance or schedule a future date.
The city secretary confirmed during thenewsconference that there were 4,888 names needed for the petition to be valid,and 6,300 names were validated out of 10,300 that were submitted.
“We’ve been through this one other time,” said Stanley. “And the previous year, we had another petition, I actually was on that that committee and it wasn’t validated. So I think our population is learning a great deal on what this process needs to be. And I’m in favor of the fact that this is the real true voice of the voter. And so, from whatever happens from here, I think what we’re doing is we’re honoring the system that we’ve all kind of pledged to.”
Stanley noted during thenewsconference that the city council has taken their time with the petition and ordinance and how the city council will move forward.
“I think you’re going toseecouncil move forward with the plan that council has always maintained, and then that in no way will negate what the citizens have as an opportunity to put this petition on the ballot,” said Stanley.
When asked how the city of Amarillo would enforce the ordinance if put in place, Stanley stated there is no enforcement mechanism for the city of Amarillo. Stanley also stated the current city council stands by everything the state of Texas has done and the current state laws and can see the ordinance wants to expand on those laws.
“It creates a private right of action, which just means simply the ability for one citizen to sue another citizen for something they would drive out of the description in that ordinance,” Stanley said. “If you look at state law, the main difference that I would point to with this ordinance versus current state law is state law provides some more descriptive venues.”
The council has requested the city attorney to create a draft of the ordinance that lines up with state law to put forward on May 28,and Stanley outlined that the goal of the meeting is to have a good discussion, leave all options on the stable for the steering committee, and entertain potential amendments.
“I don’t feel that the council has three votes that would be in favor of this(petitioned)ordinance as it’s written,” Stanley said. “So I don’t believe that you would see us accept it and put it as ordinance. I also don’t believe that it would be necessary for council to reject this ordinance. It has the petition signatures, it’s been validated. It’s earned the right to go forward to the ballot in November, if that steering committee decides to do that.”
When asked about the language of restricting travel within thepetitionedordinance, Stanley stated thattheordinancedrafted by the city attorney at the request of city councilwould not limit travel.
“I’m not going to fast-forward to anybody’s decision that would say that this ordinance could ever do that,” Stanley said. “However, I would tell you that, constitutionally, as a conservative, who loves the Republic that he lives in, we always want to protect these civil rights and right of travel, right of speech. Freedom to move is greatly important. And we should never be in favor of anything that would ever limit that. But this ordinance specifically, I’m not telling anyone that this ordinance would limit travel.”
Stanley stated he believes that state’s rights are more important than the federal role,and the federal role should onlybeengaged when the state can’t or doesn’t have the capacity to manage that. He saidmunicipallaws shouldreflect those communities.
“Local matters most, and all of your state laws are derived from those local bases and foundations,” Stanley said. “And so giving your citizensand your your constituents the right to have a voice at the local level is very important if you want to be adequately represented at the state level.”
MyHighPlains.com had a chance totalkwith Mark Lee Dickson, the founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative, after thenewsconference regarding what he had to say about Stanley’s remarks.
“I’ve talked to the initiating committee here and over in Amarillo. And of course, they’re really excited about this moving forward,” Dickson said. “This is something that took a lot of long, hard hours, and that hard work has paid off.”
In response to Stanley’snewsconference, Dickson mentioned his concerns over the statements Stanley made.
“Mayor Stanley talked a whole lot about civil liberties and the right to travel,” Dickson said. “And I would encourage everyone to go look at what the Biden and Harris White House has been saying about abortion travel, just look at what they’re saying. And I would encourage Mayor Stanley, to pay attention to what they’re saying, because some of his talking points are lining up with the Biden administration on this issue.”
Dicksonsaid hebelievesdriving someone out of town for an abortion is similar tosex or child trafficking.
“This is an issue where we’re talking about the taking of an unborn child across state lines for the purpose of that child being murdered,” Dickson said. “That’s not something that falls into the category of like smoking marijuana or gambling. We’re talking about the killing of an innocent child in here in Texas. We view the unborn child as a human being made in the image of God and should be treated as such.”
Dickson believed the petitioned ordinance is superior to any alternate ordinance the city council may present.
“We are leading the way as being the most pro-life state in the nation,” Dickson said. “But even here in Texas, there are loopholes. Mayor Stanley does not understand the laws of the state of Texas. Mayor Stanley has repeatedly made error after error after error on what state law actually says.”
Dickson said that is why they created this petitioned ordinance.
“Because they were making so many mistakes—what this ordinance does is close these loopholes and doing everything that we can to protect innocent human life now,”Dickson said.
Stanley noted the city council has until August 19 to putany relatedordinanceon the ballot in November.
For the latest Amarillo news and regional updates, check with MyHighPlains.com and tune in to KAMR Local 4 News at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. and Fox 14 News at 9:00 p.m. CST.
