Seaford Votes To Stay Enforcement Of Fetal Remains Ordinance

Seaford city officials will ‘stay’ the enforcement of an ordinance that would regulate the disposal of fetal remains following an abortion that’s conducted within the city.

Council members and the mayor met Thursday in a special session. Potential legal action against the city was also discussed during an executive session.

“The motion that is going to be under consideration is not a reconsideration of the dignity ordinance. The motion is to stay enforcement of the dignity ordinance pending action by the General Assembly,” Seaford City Solicitor Daniel Griffith said before Council’s vote Thursday.

Council earlier in December voted 3-2 to require that fetal remains be handled in a dignified manner, such as cremation or burial. The ACLU of Delaware and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings have said they would sue the city. Mayor David Genshaw had said someone had come forward to cover the city’s legal costs.

Planned Parenthood of Delaware recently opened a facility in Seaford.

“I feel the stay enforcement is just a stall tactic to delay the inevitable,” Seaford Councilman James King said. “I feel that this ordinance is a complete overreach of government, nothing more than grandstanding and posturing.”

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