"On August 10, 1970, Michigan Democrat Martha Griffiths successfully brought the Equal Rights Amendment to the House floor, after fifteen years of the joint resolution languishing in the House Judiciary Committee.
The ERA was adopted by the House on October 12, 1971, with a vote of 354 to 24. Griffiths' joint resolution was then adopted by the Senate on March 22, 1972 (48 years ago today), by a vote of 84 to 8.
The ERA was then placed before the (50) state legislatures, with a seven-year deadline (to March 22, 1979) to acquire ratification by three-fourths (38) of the state legislatures" for it to become amended to the United States Constitution.
Before the end of 1972, Twenty-two states (Hawaii, New Hampshire, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Alaska, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Colorado, West Virginia, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and California) ratified the ERA. Sixteen more to go.
In 1973, eight more states (Wyoming, South Dakota, Oregon, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont, Connecticut and Washington) ratified the ERA. Only eight more to go.
In 1974, Maine, Montana and Ohio ratified the amendment. Five more to go.
North Dakota passed the ERA in 1975. Indiana in 1977. Three more to go.
And then the deadline (March 22, 1979) passed, three short of 38. No amendment to the Constitution?
In spite of the passing of the deadline, three more states (Nevada, Illinois and Virginia) passed the ERA during the period 2017-2020. Does that now achieve the magic number 38? Was the self-imposed deadline legally binding?
In addition, four states (Nebraska, Tennessee, Idaho and Kentucky) rescinded their previous ratification of the ERA. However, the US Constitution "is silent as to whether a state may rescind a previous ratification of a proposed - but not yet ratified - amendment."
As of now, there is no ERA in the US Constitution (but there is in 26 state Constitutions). As a believer in gender equality, I believe there should be a federal ERA. What about you?
Before the end of 1972, Twenty-two states (Hawaii, New Hampshire, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Alaska, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Colorado, West Virginia, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and California) ratified the ERA. Sixteen more to go.
In 1973, eight more states (Wyoming, South Dakota, Oregon, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont, Connecticut and Washington) ratified the ERA. Only eight more to go.
In 1974, Maine, Montana and Ohio ratified the amendment. Five more to go.
North Dakota passed the ERA in 1975. Indiana in 1977. Three more to go.
And then the deadline (March 22, 1979) passed, three short of 38. No amendment to the Constitution?
In spite of the passing of the deadline, three more states (Nevada, Illinois and Virginia) passed the ERA during the period 2017-2020. Does that now achieve the magic number 38? Was the self-imposed deadline legally binding?
In addition, four states (Nebraska, Tennessee, Idaho and Kentucky) rescinded their previous ratification of the ERA. However, the US Constitution "is silent as to whether a state may rescind a previous ratification of a proposed - but not yet ratified - amendment."
As of now, there is no ERA in the US Constitution (but there is in 26 state Constitutions). As a believer in gender equality, I believe there should be a federal ERA. What about you?
As I recall, there was a 5-year. In which to do it, meaning get the ratification, and that was extended to 7 in this particular case, for this particular amendment. It was felt the girls needed more time. Is that true?
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