There are two ERA bills to be heard in the Government Operations & Veterans Affairs Committee that day: first (HF13), a Minnesota State ERA amendment to the state constitution bill chief-authored by Representative Mary Kunesh-Podein; and second (HF71), is a Resolution to Congress to remove the deadline on the federal ERA chief-authored by Representative Rena Moran. Both bills have companion bills introduced today in the Senate: the MN State ERA SF200 (Cohen) and the ERA Resolution to Congress SF208 (Pappas).

HF13/SF200 provides for gender equality under the law and proposes a constitutiona amendment that, if passed by both bodies of the Minnesota Legislature, would be added to the ballot in the 2020 general election for the voters to decide on the outcome. 2020 has special significance because it coincides with the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage – the year women achieved the right to vote.

“This state ERA is long overdue, says Heather Allison, President of ERAMN. “25 states already have passed ERA’s into their state constitutions – the oldest having been written over 140 years ago.”

HF71/SF208 is a resolution memorializing Congress to remove the “June 30th, 1982” deadline so that once the 38th state ratifies the ERA it can be ratified into the U.S. Constitution.

“95% of Minnesotans believe everyone should have equal rights,” said Betty Folliard, Founder of ERAMN. “We’re grateful to the Legislature for this opportunity to make equal legal.”

ERA Minnesota is a coalition of thousands of activists and organizations from every corner of the state dedicated to embedding an Equal Rights Amendment into our state and national constitutions to ensure that all citizens are protected from discrimination on the basis of sex. This organization is a sponsor of Women’s March Minnesota’s (www.womensmarchmn.com) “Unstoppable” Rally & March this Saturday. The Equal Rights Amendment is part of Women’s March’s Unity Principles.

“Pay inequity, gender discrimination in the workplace, gender violence including domestic violence and sexual  assault, and, primarily, gender fairness in our court system are the main reasons why the state ERA is still necessary.” says M. Kathleen Murphy, VP of ERAMN & Founder of the MN CAFE Coalition.

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ERA Bill Numbers: HF13/SF200; and HF71/SF208. For more information, go to www.eramn.org