ST PAUL, Minn. — Equal Rights Amendment Minnesota was founded in 2014 with the goal to have Minnesota's constitution add equality protections.
Now after years of stalling in a divided government, the group is starting to see some traction this session.
"Our laws are like nails without a hammer," former legislator Betty Folliard said.
ERA Minnesota worked with State Sen. Mary Kunesh (D-39) and Rep. Kaohly Her (DFL-64A) on a bill for the House and Senate. It calls for equality on race, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and ancestry.
The bill has been making its way through committees including Rules and Administration, and Judiciary and Public Safety in the Senate. Folliard says she believes this will be the year the state legislature passes the measure and hopes to get it on voters' ballots next year.
Back in 1972, the U.S. House and Senate voted to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, but not enough states voted to ratify it by the 1982 deadline.
"We will have the strict scrutiny that we need in the courts to push back on sexual violence, pregnancy discrimination, pay inequity. All the things that have shorted women's progress," Folliard said.
If both chambers pass the bill, it will appear on Minnesota voter ballots for 2024, which will also mark the 100-year anniversary of the first introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment proposal in Congress.
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