Proposed pro-life ordinance in Hillsdale moves to committee

Home City News Proposed pro-life ordinance in Hillsdale moves to committee
Proposed pro-life ordinance in Hillsdale moves to committee
Hillsdale students and locals have long advocated for the pro-life cause. Courtesy | Olivia Manocchio

Hillsdale could become a “sanctuary for the unborn,” if a city committee advances an ordinance on Thursday.

The Hillsdale City Council unanimously sent the proposed ordinance to its Operations and Governance Committee for review at the Aug. 2 meeting. The public meeting is now scheduled for Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. in City Hall, according to the committee’s chair, Ward 2 Councilman Will Morrisey.

Committee members Cindy Pratt and Bruce Sharp will join Morrissey in discussing the ordinance, and then recommend the council’s next step.

The ordinance was added to the agenda for the Monday, Aug. 2 city council meeting after the proposal of Ward 1 Councilman Tony Vear. The ordinance is founded on the claim that human life begins at conception, and that abortion is, therefore, “a murderous act of violence.” The ordinance would outlaw any person from carrying out abortions or providing abortion-inducing drugs at any stage of pregnancy within the city of Hillsdale. 

Vice President of Hillsdale County Right to Life Heather Tritchka ‘98, who helped bring the ordinance to Hillsdale, said she first heard this idea earlier this year when cities throughout Texas were declaring themselves Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn. 

Since June of 2019, 37 cities in the U.S. have passed ordinances labeling themselves a “sanctuary for the unborn,” according to Sanctuary Cities for The Unborn. Out of those 37, this year alone has seen 20 cities across the U.S. outlaw abortion. When a city in Ohio passed the ordinance, Tritchka said she began to think Hillsdale might become a sanctuary as well.

“This seemed like something we could do at a city level to keep abortion out,” Tritchka said.

Tritchka said she contacted Mark Lee Dickson, a Director with Right To Life of East Texas and a pastor sent on missionary leave to create sanctuary cities for the unborn.

Dickson encouraged her to see what kind of support the community might offer. To find out, Tritchka helped conduct three signature drives at local churches in the area, and she campaigned door-to-door in each of Hillsdale’s four wards.

Tritchka said she collected more than 400 signatures from citizens, and Dickson agreed to fly to Hillsdale and present the ordinance to the city.

According to Tritchka, no health care providers currently carry out abortions in Hillsdale County. She warned that this could change as the Biden administration rolls out new ways for doctors to prescribe abortion bills.

“The Biden administration is deregulating abortion drugs,” Tritchka said. “They want abortion available in every zip code in America before the first year is over.”

Those who violate the ordinance would face a fine of $500 and serve 90 days in jail, according to the ordinance. Each violation would constitute a separate offense.

The proposal would also allow citizens to file civil lawsuits against those they believe violate the ordinance, including drug providers, Tritchka said.

The ordinance has exemptions, however. The ordinance does not prohibit the procedure if it is done during an accidental miscarriage, to remove an ectopic pregnancy, or to save the mother’s life.

The Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that the U.S. Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s right to choose to have an abortion without government restriction.

The proposed Hillsdale ordinance can make use of anti-abortion laws in Michigan law that have stood prior to Roe v. Wade. However, such laws have not been ruled enforceable.

“There are strong state abortion laws that are not being enforced because of Roe v. Wade,” Tritchka said.

The ordinance has a real practical purpose for the Hillsdale community, said Tritchka.

“It’s more than making a statement,” she said. “This is an enforcement ordinance.”

The public was allowed to address the council during more than two hours of public comment at the Aug. 2 meeting. Hillsdale residents voiced their support and concerns over the ordinance.

Mayor Adam Stockford said there were somewhere around 70 to 80 people at the meeting, and around 80% of people had something to say.

“It was a big turnout,” Stockford said.

Stockford said there was a wide range of suggestions for the council, from absolute support to complete rejection.

“The speakers were very animated,” he said, “But it was respectful.”

Associate Dean of Men Jeffery Rogers was one of many who encouraged the city council to pass the ordinance.

“I stand here today to stand for the rights of unborn Americans,” Rogers said. “Choose life. Hillsdale should stand for the rights of the unborn.”

Despite the pro-life support at the meeting, there were also many individuals who opposed the ordinance.

Kathryn Watkins, a resident of Hillsdale County, said Texas anti-abortion laws caused a dangerous situation with her friend’s daughter, who was not able to have medical services for her pregnancy as a result of sex-trafficking.

“In a city like Hillsdale, where no elective abortions are performed or have never been performed, and no one is requesting to perform them, it is these types of emergency situations that will be affected by the passage of this law,” Watkins said.

In addition, a Change.org petition challenging the ordinance has received nearly 2,000 signatures, with organizers citing the ordinance as “flat out dangerous” regarding a woman’s right to choose.

“These laws also make any spontaneous miscarriage open to investigation and prosecution, at a time when many women are already suffering feelings of inadequacy and failure wondering what they did wrong to lead to the loss of their pregnancy,” wrote Kathryn Watkins in her petition.

Watkins and Leisha Taylor organized a protest on a Facebook event page, which took place at 6 p.m. on Aug. 2, just before the council meeting.

Hillsdale graduate and U.S. Rep. Andrew Fink (R-MI) said he was proud of the work being done by pro-life advocates.

“Our area is deeply rooted in family values and our people are longstanding defenders of the sanctity of life and the right to life that every U.S. citizen is entitled to, including those still in the womb,” Fink said. “I’m proud of our community and its steadfast support for the human rights of our defenseless unborn population. I commend the members of the Hillsdale City Council for taking up this issue to defend the lives of the unborn and encourage them to adopt this ordinance that reflects the crucial values of the local citizens they represent.”

Stockford said he knows the committee will review the document carefully and will probably explore the liability concerns with the city attorney before proceeding to a vote.

“I don’t expect this to be on the next council meeting agenda,” Stockford said. “I expect it to be a painstakingly slow process.”