ERA ILLINOIS
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EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
American Fairness ~ Economic Growth ~ Global Leadership

SJRCA4 is legally before the Illinois General Assembly

1. Legal Precedent

  • Congress may determine the rules for ratification beyond those established in Article V of the U.S. Constitution. Coleman v. Miller, 307 US 433 (1939) and Dillion v. Gloss, 256 US 368 (1921).  The Supreme Court overruled a lower court’s attempt to invalidate ongoing ratification efforts after the original deadline Idaho v. Freeman 455 US 918 (1982).
 
  • The seven-year deadline is in the resolution’s preamble, and not in the proposed amendment passed by Congress in 1972, or the text ratified by 36 states.
 
  • Time limits are a new custom.  The first deadline was used in 1933 for the 21th Amendment (repeal of prohibition).
 
2. Historical Precedent

  • In 1992, Congress declared the 27th Amendment ratified, despite a 203-year ratification process.
 
  • In 1870, Congress declared the 15th Amendment ratified, despite the New York state’s rescission.  The 15th Amendment extended the vote to all citizens (except women).
 
  • In 1978, Congress voted to extend the ERA deadline to 1982.  Therefore, it can again.
 
 
3. Current Precedent

  • States continue to take steps toward ratification.  In 2017 alone, legislators in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina and Utah introduced resolutions to approve the ERA. 
 
  • Nevada ratified on March 22, 2017.
 
  • In 2014, resolutions passed in the Virginia Senate and Illinois Senate.
 
  • Pending in Congress, S.J.Res. 5 and H.J.Res. 53 would remove the deadline. 

Call your Illinois legislators right now, before they vote on SJRCA4 (ERA). 
​Get their  numbers here>>> www.openstates.org.  

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Copyright ©2019
  • Contact
  • Resources
    • ERA101
    • Resources
    • Quick History
    • Why the ERA?
    • What You Can Do
    • Tweets to use
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Background
    • Current Illinois Legislation
    • ERA is legally before the General Assembly
  • Coloring Book
  • Phonebanking