Advancing the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

WEBINAR  
MINNESOTA ERA: HOW TO PASS IT!! 

An important message from Jackie Falk, AAUW Duluth’s Public Policy Officer

 

 

 

 

 

At the national, state, and local level, AAUW is partnering with many other organizations—including the League of Women Voters–to bring the Equal Rights Amendment to fulfillment. (Find a summary of talking points here: https://eracoalition.org/uploads/2023/05/General-TPs-January-2023.pdf )

Nationally, 38 states have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment to our United States Constitution. But a difficult problem remains: 80% of Americans believe that women already have equal rights. WE DO NOT.

At the state level, an ERA is now proposed for our Minnesota Constitution. The Minnesota Senate has already passed it. AAUW will support its passage in the House during the next session when we expect that the House will again vote on the bill. Once passed in the House, the proposed amendment would go before Minnesota voters in the November 2024 election. 

 The proposed Minnesota State Equal Rights Amendment Bill reads “Equality under the law shall not be abridged or denied by this state or any of​ its cities, counties, or other political subdivisions on account of race, color, creed, sex, sexual​ orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, ancestry, or national origin.”​

When passed, the Minnesota ERA will make the following constitutionally significant:

    1. It will constitutionalize Minnesota’s Human Rights Act. The Minnesota Human Rights Act is one of strongest civil laws in the country. It prohibits discrimination based on protected classes such as race, religion, disability, national origin, sex, marital status, familial status, education, sexual orientation, and gender identity, but only in law. Laws are subject to frequent change, but the State Constitution, the strongest legal document in the state, is not. Women’s human rights will be permanent
    2. The campaign to stop sexual violence is given constitutional weight. Without the ERA, the campaign to stop sexual violence is hindered. Once enshrined in the constitution, the rights of gender equity may not be questioned, challenged, or diminished.
    3. The UN Human Rights report on the United States continues to cite the failure to fulfill the Equal Rights for Women as a deficiency in providing full human rights. Minnesota can take responsibility for that global expectation. Recent survey results reported in MinnPost show a favorable outlook for passage of an ERA in November 2024.

However, Melissa Hortman, majority leader in the House, has many issues to balance. She is quoted as saying, ““We’ll look at who is for it, who is against, do Minnesotans want this on the ballot, what is the legal impact?” Hortman said. “I don’t want to put something on the ballot that reflects good public policy but does not have infrastructural support to get it passed.” See https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2023/11/poll-most-minnesota-voters-support-state-constitutional-protections-for-abortion-equal-rights/

Let’s make an impact on Speaker Hortman. In a recent e-mail she asked for input. “Jacqueline, can you give me your input? I know you’re busy, but if you have a minute to reply to this email and let me know what issues matter to you I would greatly appreciate it. I’ll make sure to pass your feedback along to the other DFL representatives.”

As soon as possible, please send Speaker Hortman an e-mail strongly supporting putting the Equal Rights Amendment on the November 2024 ballot. You can email her at house@dflhouse.com. Thank you.