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Arkansas Senate committee hears debate on ERA ratification; motion to pass fails for lack of second
Summary
Supporters urged the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee to begin state ratification of the federal Equal Rights Amendment, while opponents warned of vague wording, court challenges and unintended effects; a motion to pass failed for lack of a second and no formal vote on ratification was taken.
Senator Doris Elliott (District 31) presented Joint Resolution 18 to the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee, urging Arkansas to begin the process to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and ‘‘enshrine’’ constitutional protection against discrimination. Elliott described the proposal as paralleling the 19th Amendment and said passage would prevent discrimination being left to a patchwork of statutes that can be repealed.
The hearing opened with lawmakers and members of the public pressing sharply different views on the ERA’s likely legal effects. Joanne Mills, of Little Rock, told the committee she supported the resolution because ‘‘only a federal equal rights amendment can provide US citizens with the highest and broadest level of…
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