NARAL Attacks Pro-life Groups; Austin City Council Votes Unanimously for Ordinance Attacking Pregnancy Resource Centers

Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell at Planned Parenthood Ribbon cutting with other ultra-liberals

The out of control Austin City Council trampled all over the Constitution and proper procedure today when they fast-tracked and ramed through an ordinance that seeks to undermine charitable pregnancy centers that help women.

They only allowed 15 minutes of testimony for our side and they skipped the required second and third reading and passed it through all in one day, due to a unanimous vote, 7-0. View the full video here: http://austintx.swagit.com/play/04082010-1/1/

Author of ordinance: Council Member Bill Spelman. Email him  http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_williamspelman.htm

Voted for Discriminatory Ordinance: Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell. His email: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_leeleffingwell.htm

Today, the Austin City Council heard testimony and unanimously voted (7-0) to pass an ordinance specifically designed to attack pregnancy resource centers (PRCs). This ordinance is the first-of-its-kind in Texas, and requires only PRCs to post signs at their entrance that they do not provide or refer for abortions or birth control. There is no corresponding requirement that abortion facilities post signs about the services they do not provide.

This ordinance was being pushed by the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). Such a law has already been passed in Baltimore, Maryland, but it is being challenged in court. Liberty Institute testified at today’s City Council meeting, and will work to defeat these attacks on charitable centers that are so valuable to women.

“This pro-abortion, political effort by the City Council and NARAL is an outrageous example of out of control government,” said Jonathan Saenz, director of legislative affairs at Liberty Institute. “Why is the City of Austin so hostile to the needs of pregnant women served by charitable pregnancy centers?”