Several local authorities across the state have passed ordinances restricting access to abortion. The city of Gallup could be next despite legal challenges over these ordinances from the Attorney General’s office
Activists will present a proposal for an anti-abortion ordinance during public comment Tuesday night during the Gallup city council meeting that cites the federal Comstock Act that has been dormant for nearly a hundred years.
Mark Lee Dickson, director of Right to Life of East Texas, said that these ordinances don’t prohibit abortion but they require compliance to federal statutes.
"If the mailing of abortion inducing drugs and abortion paraphernalia is prohibited, which I believe it is, and the receiving of those items are prohibited, then I do see that as the same result as an explicit abortion ban" said Dickson.
At least six local authorities in New Mexico have passed similar ordinances following passage of House Bill 7 this year prohibiting localities from restricting abortion access. The town of Eunice is also suing to overturn the new law.
The New Mexico Supreme Court will hear a case about whether the ordinances are legal and has stayed implementation of most of them.
Dickson said after a meeting over the weekend in Gallup to gauge interest, he’s anticipating the possibility of a similar ordinance gaining traction and will encourage the city to move forward.
The meeting will be streamed on the city of Gallup’s Facebook page
Tuesday night starting at 6 pm.
This coverage is made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and KUNM listeners.
