AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — The Potter-Randall County Medical Society believes that the Sanctuary City for the Unborn ordinance before the Amarillo City Council is too broad.

The board of the medical association said in a statement that the wording of the regulation criminalizes anyone who advocates for an abortion or provides emotional support to a woman considering an abortion.

They also fear that this would also affect the doctor-patient relationship.

“The ordinance is actually intended to provide any assistance, even emotional support, to a woman considering an abortion,” said Dr. Steve Urban, MD, MACP, speaking on behalf of the Potter-Randall County Medical Society. “It puts the city government and the legal system between the patient and the doctor.”

The committee also objected to the use of the word “trafficking in human beings” in the regulation. It says the definition of the word “trafficking in human beings” requires fraud, force or coercion.

“We’re talking about anyone – a friend, a pastor, a counselor – who ‘aids and abettes’ abortion simply by providing emotional support,” Urban said. “This is not human trafficking in the sense we would recognize it. We believe the less biased term for this activity is ‘transportation.'”

The Potter-Randall County Medical Society is also interested in the ordinance as a whole and will address concerns other than language at a later date.

“We understand why the City Council voted 4-1 against it, and we will continue our educational campaign,” Urban said. “For now, we just want the wording on the ballot to reflect the content and purpose of the ordinance in clear and honest language.”

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