7.23.22

“Waco Citizens Must Speak Up – No More Abortions Here”
By Donna Garner

J0D15

PLEASE SEE ACTION STEPS FURTHER ON DOWN THE PAGE:

At the Waco City Council meeting on Tuesday, 7.19.22, Mayor Dillon Meek asked the City Council Members for suggestions of topics to be put on upcoming agendas.

Waco City Councilwoman Kelly Palmer (District Four) made an emotion-laden plea to try to persuade the Mayor and the City Council Members to make Waco a GRACE ACT city in defiance of the overturning of Roe v Wade.

In other words, Kelly Palmer thinks the killing of babies in the womb is fine; and she is trying to persuade Waco to do a work-around the new anti-abortion laws.

Under the GRACE ACT, Palmer is advocating for the Waco District Attorney and the Waco Police Department to choose to avoid investigating and prosecuting people who are abortion providers.

However, Councilwoman Kelly Palmer “forgot” to mention some very important points:

POINT #1: Under the existing laws, friends, family members, and anyone else who aids in a prohibited abortion could potentially be vulnerable to civil and administrative penalties, even if a prosecutor won’t bring criminal charges.

POINT #2: Texas State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) has said he plans to propose legislation that would empower district attorneys to prosecute abortion-related crimes all across the state, even if LOCAL DA’s and the POLICE refuse to do so...

This means that even if the Waco City Council decided Waco should become a GRACE ACT city, the DA’s from other places in Texas could prosecute abortion-related crimes in Waco.

POINT #3: Texas’ trigger ban makes it a felony to perform an abortion except to save the life of the mother. But the law also requires the Texas attorney general to file a civil lawsuit against anyone who performs a prohibited abortion for “not less than $100,000 for each violation,” and revoke the license of any health care provider involved in the procedure.

POINT #4: The Texas Legislature passed SB 8 which empowers private citizens to bring civil lawsuits against anyone who “aids or abets” an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

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PLEASE TAKE THESE ACTION STEPS:

“Individuals are welcome to register to speak” at Waco City Council Meetings.

How to register to speak: https://www.waco-texas.com/council-information.asp#gsc.tab=0

Waco City Council Members and Staff: https://www.waco-texas.com/council.asp#gsc.tab=0

City of Waco Map To Find out Your District Number: https://www.waco-texas.com/district-map.asp#gsc.tab=0

E-MAIL CONTACT INFORMATION FOR WACO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Mayor Dillon Meek: https://www.waco-texas.com/cms/forms/contactus.aspx?name=Dillon%20Meek#gsc.tab=0

District One: Andrea J. Barefield -- https://www.waco-texas.com/cms/forms/contactus.aspx?name=Andrea%20J.%20Barefield#gsc.tab=0

District Two: Alice Rodriguez -- https://www.waco-texas.com/cms/forms/contactus.aspx?name=Alice%20Rodriguez#gsc.tab=0

District Three: Josh Borderud -- https://www.waco-texas.com/council-three.asp#gsc.tab=0

District Four: Kelly Palmer -- https://www.waco-texas.com/cms/forms/contactus.aspx?name=Kelly%20Palmer#gsc.tab=0 and Kelly.Palmer@wacotx.gov

District Five: Jim Holmes -- https://www.waco-texas.com/cms/forms/contactus.aspx?name=Jim%20Holmes#gsc.tab=0

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6.25.22 – “Local efforts to decriminalize abortion in Texas likely won’t help clinics stay open” -- by Eleanor Klibanoff – Texas Tribune -- https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/25/abortion-roe-wade-local-decriminalize/

7.20.22 – “Waco councilwoman suggests city ‘de-prioritize’ criminalization of abortion” -- By Todd Unger – KXXV.com -- https://www.kxxv.com/hometown/mclennan-county/waco-councilwoman-suggests-city-de-prioritize-criminalization-of-abortion