Following the recent passage of a pro-abortion resolution by the Dallas City Council, 16 Texas lawmakers have called for an investigation into the city government for allegedly seeking to subvert state law.
During the most recent council meeting, the members voted 10-1 to pass the item that memorialized the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and demanded the legalization of abortion, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The resolution claimed that “each of us should have the freedom to make decisions about our bodies, our lives, and our futures with respect and dignity, including when and how to become parents, without barriers based on who we are, how much we earn or where we’re from.”
“Today, in the City of Dallas, people face delays when trying to access abortion care, are forced to travel hundreds of miles, and take on additional costs,” the resolution continued. “Some people are denied care all together and forced to carry a pregnancy against their will.”
The resolution also called abortion “one of the safest medical procedures in the country” and noted that “the City of Dallas seeks to ensure abortion is there for everyone who needs it.”
Led by freshman Rep. Nate Schatzline (R-Fort Worth), the coalition of representatives calling for a legal review outlined their objections in a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The lawmakers claimed that the Dallas City Council “resolution advocates for a number of troubling items that we believe conflict with state law in regards to abortion.”
“The resolution states, among other things, that the City of Dallas is committed to supporting the killing of an innocent human life with no limits.”
Rep. Schatzline and the others also noted that Dallas promised to “support Planned Parenthood and other centers and funds that provide abortion and that the city further commits to working with local activists to advance radical pro-abortion policies that are in direct contrast to state law.”
“We believe that the City of Dallas in considering this resolution is attempting to supplant state law,” the letter concluded. “We request that your office review the February 7th memorandum and ensure that no actions can be taken by the city after adopting this resolution that would violate state law regarding abortion.”
One of the signees, Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian), explained to The Dallas Express, “It’s bad enough we have to fight Biden’s unconstitutional attempts to preempt Texas’s pro-life laws, but it is utterly unacceptable to have a political subdivision of the state try to undermine these protections.”
“I’m proud to defend Texas, our laws, and the babies they are saving from federal or local overreach,” Harrison added.
In Texas, the abortion of an unborn child is illegal in almost every circumstance following a trigger law that went into effect after the Dobbs decision was given, as reported by The Dallas Express. Furthermore, the state has recently sued the Biden administration for shifting regulations that seek to permit the broader use of abortion-inducing drugs.
In response to the potential investigation, Dallas City Council Member Cara Mendelsohn (District 12) directed The Dallas Express to the comments she made during the debate on the resolution.
At the February 8 City Council meeting, Mendelsohn had suggested that the resolution was “simply not appropriate for City Council, it’s a topic for state and federal governments. We literally have no say on this issue.”
“In a very real way this item is sabotaging our state legislative agenda,” she added. “The resolution is meant to specifically thumb our nose at the very legislators we are asking to help solve our most pressing city issues.”
The Dallas Express reached out to several City of Dallas officials who had been open advocates for the resolution, including Council Members Adam Bazaldua (District 7) and Omar Narvaez (District 6) but did not receive a response prior to publication.