45 Years After the Equal Rights Amendment’s Passage, Nevada Votes to Ratify

The ERA Coalition welcomes the news that the Nevada legislature voted to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) today. Most Americans think the Constitution already guarantees women equal rights, but it doesn’t. The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress in 1972 and ratified by 35 states, three states short of the 38 needed to put an amendment in the Constitution. Nevada’s action to ratify the ERA, the first such vote since 1977, highlights the growing awareness of and support for the Equal Rights Amendment, which is needed to help women combat pay inequity, pregnancy discrimination, and gender-based violence.

There is increasing momentum throughout the country in support of Equal Rights Amendment. In North Carolina, legislation to ratify the ERA was introduced in the state Senate and House in February and 10 local resolutions in support of this legislation have already been passed. Ongoing recent efforts to ratify the 1972 Equal Rights Amendment include bills in Illinois, Virginia, Florida and Utah, which in both Illinois and Virginia have been passed in the Senate several times.

“Sex equality is good for men, families, and communities, as well as women” said Jessica Neuwirth, President of the ERA Coalition. “We are way behind the rest of the world in prohibiting sex discrimination in our Constitution – it’s long overdue.”

The ERA Coalition represents 73 member organizations and millions of women and men who are working for passage and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and for greater public understanding of the need for equal treatment of women under the law. For more information: www.eracoalition.org.

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