Lebanon, Ohio walks the talk, becoming 29th city to outlaw abortion

LEBANON — Actions speak louder than words. A number of cities are not waiting for the unpredictable U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Roe v. Wade. Local grassroot efforts in the Midwest are taking action and focusing on outlawing abortion… in their own backyards.

Over several weeks, the Lebanon City Council has heard from more than one hundred local citizens before voting on an ordinance outlawing abortion. The votes cast by the Lebanon City Council were solid: six votes for outlawing abortion with zero against.

“We are clearly saying in our community we do not think it is in our best interest to open a clinic or a hospital that does abortions,” says Lebanon Mayor Amy Brewer. “We are elected to make decisions based on what’s good for our community.” 

The new ordinance immediately went into effect, stating, “It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the city of Lebanon, Ohio,” and “It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly aid or abet an abortion that occurs in the city of Lebanon, Ohio.”

Besides outlawing abortion, the ordinance declares abortion-inducing drugs to be contraband, stating, “It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or distribute abortion-inducing drugs in the city of Lebanon, Ohio.” The ordinance defines “abortion-inducing drugs” as “mifepristone, misoprostol, and any drug or medication that is used to terminate the life of an unborn child.” The ordinance is clear that the term “abortion-inducing drugs” does not include birth-control devices or oral contraceptives.

Mark Lee Dickson, director of Right to Life of East Texas and founder of the  Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn explained the significance of passing actual “ordinances” outlawing abortion, and not simple “resolutions” that carry no weight.

“The City Council of Lebanon recognized, along with twenty-eight other cities, it is not good enough to say we value the lives of our unborn neighbors if there are no actions to back those words up. The City Council of Lebanon refused to play the game many politicians are known for playing and did what was necessary to protect the health and welfare of the residents of Lebanon, Ohio by passing an enforceable ordinance. They did not just say they were Pro-Life, they voted like it, and outlawed abortion.”

In June of 2019, Waskom, Texas became the first city to outlaw abortion by ordinance in America. 

Those who are found in violation of any part of the Lebanon ordinance are guilty of a misdemeanor in the first degree and, under Ohio Law, are not to serve more than six months in jail or pay more than $1,000 in fines. These consequences to the violation of this law are immediately enforceable and contain only one exception: “Under no circumstance may the mother of the unborn child that has been aborted, or the pregnant woman who seeks to abort her unborn child, be subject to prosecution or penalty under this section.”

If the City of Lebanon faces any litigation as a result of the passage of the ordinance, Attorney Jonathan F. Mitchell, the former Texas Solicitor General, has agreed to represent the city at no cost to the city and taxpayers. In May of 2020 when seven cities in East Texas that had passed the ordinance were sued by the ACLU, Mitchell represented the cities, and after three months, the ACLU withdrew its lawsuits. The lawsuits did not cost the cities or the taxpayers one cent and abortion remains outlawed in every city which was sued.

The Bottom Line:

Proverbs 6 says, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.”