City of Brownsboro

This week, the Brownsboro City Council voted to ban abortions within the city limits, making the small town the 15th East Texas community to do so.

The passing of this ordinance, which declares Brownsboro a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn,” on Monday means no abortion clinics or anything of those means can open up in Brownsboro, Mayor Dusty Wise said.

“I don’t think we felt threatened that was going to happen, but with this ordinance enforced it will just kind of protect us,” he said. “It just seemed like a logical thing to do because first of all it protects unborn life and I think that’s an important thing.”

This ordinance has been contested in other cities when presented, but so far those cities have won challenges each time, making them feel secure in their decision, he said.

Wise added that after discussion during the meeting and listening closely to all of the information presented, it just seemed like the right thing to do for Brownsboro.

As time goes on Wise said he believes he and the council members will be glad they did this. He said passing the ordinance to ban abortions in Brownsboro is not only a logical thing to do but also heartfelt.

“We just kind of led by our hearts more than anything,” Wise said.

The city council had been discussing doing this for several months before the ordinance passed, he said. The council members spoke with him and city residents.

Waskom was the first city in Texas to ban abortions in June 2019, deeming themselves the first “Sanctuary City of the Unborn.” Since then, numerous other Texas cities have followed in their footsteps.

In total, 37 Texas cities, including Lubbock, have voted to outlaw abortions in their city limits, 15 of which are in East Texas.

According to Mark Dickson, Right To Life East Texas director, East Texas towns that have passed to outlaw abortions in their cities include:

Waskom, Omaha, Naples, Joaquin, Tenaha, Gilmer, Rusk, Gary, Wells, East Mountain, Grapeland, Murchison, Latexo and Poynor.