​PRESS ADVISORY 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 19, 2021

CONTACT: 
Betty Folliard, betty.folliard@gmail.com, (612) 868-3511
Heather Allison, heather@eramn.org, (651) 214-1702
 ERA Minnesota Sends Delegation to Top National Women’s Rights #Rally4ERA in DC on Women’s Equality Day

SAINT PAUL - On Women’s Equality Day, August 26th, ERA Minnesota (ERAMN) will join delegations from across the country for the #Rally4ERA taking place in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., to call with one voice for the Equal Rights Amendment (“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex").
 
The ERAMN delegation joins top national and state organizations including:  ERA Coalition, Feminist Majority, National Congress of Black Women, National Organization of Women (NOW), League of Women Voters, Equal Means Equal, Women’s March, National Women’s Political Caucus, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Leading Women of Tomorrow, Transformative Justice Coalition, Equality, Network, Justice for Migrant Women, Feminist Front, Women’s Media Center, Black Women’s Roundtable, American Humanist Association, Equality NOW, 38 Agree for Georgia, Supermajority, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), Justice for Migrant Women, MANA and many others who unite in solidarity behind passage of the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).
 
“On Women’s Inequality Day 2021, we rise up to demand the same rights as a class that men as a class enjoy,” said Heather Allison, President of ERA Minnesota. “Everyone can participate in raising the banner for ERA, either in person in DC, watching #Rally4ERAlivestreamed, or by joining one of the dozens of satellite rallies being held around the country that day. We say all the way with the ERA.”
 
“This #Rally4ERA, on the one day of the year the national press deigns to shed light on the lack of equality on account of sex in the US, is unique because of its singular focus on constitutional equality, a vital necessity to removing barriers that thwart women’s economic security", said Betty Folliard, Founder of ERA Minnesota. “We mean to pass the ERA now, a goal that has taken American women 245 years to achieve."
 
For more information or to join the rally, visit www.eracoalition.org/rally4era.
 
####
ERA Minnesota is a coalition of advocates and organizations dedicated to ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment into our federal & state constitutions, founded in 2014. 

Silent Sentinels Are Back!
by Betty Folliard 

One would have thought after the #WomensMarch, #TimesUp, and #MeToo movements, coupled with women’s dominance in the polls last November ushering in new national leadership, that the wind was finally at our backs to certify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

But no.

Citizens are suffering for the lack of constitutional equality. The emergency nature of gender discrimination demonstrates that it is a front-burner issue, heightening the call for the ERA. 
Pay inequity leaves women on average earning just 82 cents to a man’s dollar, with far higher inequities for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian women & Women of color; one in 4 women in the U.S. experience severe intimate partner physical violence; one in five women with be raped in her lifetime, while less than 1% of rapes ever lead to felony convictions; 2/3 of tipped workers and 2/3 of minimum wage earners are women; women still get fired for being pregnant; childcare can cost more than college; nearly 2/3 of elderly seniors living in poverty are women; women in our military fight and die for their country yet still don’t have equal rights; and the list goes on greatly exacerbated by Covid: according to the National Women’s Law Center, women in America lost 4.6 million jobs during the pandemic.

The ERA, “Equality of rights shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”, will create a more inclusive constitution and provide stronger scrutiny in our court system for cases of gender discrimination: sexual violence, pregnancy discrimination, pay inequity, and the laws that unjustly discriminate against women, men, LGBTQ and non-binary individuals.

Last year, 2020, Virginia became the 38th state in the nation to ratify the ERA, thereby clearing all the constitutional hurdles set out in Article V of the Constitution for the ERA to be added as the 28th Amendment. However, just two weeks before Virginia’s ratification, the Trump Administration Department of Justice’s (DOJ) shifted the bar line, issuing a Barr Memo that blocked U.S. Archivist David Ferriero from doing his duty to certify the amendment.

That Barr Memo blocking the ERA has yet to be reversed or removed. This puts the onus now on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to rescind it. Attorney General Garland has a pivotal role to play in this long, arduous march to make equal legal in America. He can act to rescind the toxic Barr Memo and allow the ERA to be certified.

The U.S. House has passed the bill to remove the time limit. Efforts also focus on the U.S. Senate, where it was given Day 1 status, entitled SJRes.1. Majority of the senators support the ERA; co-sponsors include Democrats, Republicans, and an Independent. But it requires 60 votes for passage. The filibuster, a Jim Crow relic, creates another barrier, amplifying the intersectional relationship between racism and sexism.

The ERA is the only amendment passed by 38 states that was written, instigated, and justified by women since women gained the vote, and is the only constitutional amendment that has cleared both hurdles required by Article V of the U.S. Constitution (i.e., having been adopted by 2/3 of Congress and ratified by 3⁄4 states) that has not been added to the constitution simply because of a time limit.

Over 104 years ago, Silent Sentinels first came to Washington, D.C., to demand the vote. Now Silent Sentinels are back- to finish the job of achieving equality in America by certifying the ERA. A delegation of ERA Minnesota Silent Sentinels are headed to Washington, D.C., this Monday. We’ll join compatriots around the country to hold daily vigil in front of the DOJ to tell AG Garland to rescind the ERA Barr Memo.

Minnesota is among a minority of states that have still not added an ERA to our state constitution. State and federal governments remain dominated by white male leaders, many who are woefully out of step with the majority of Americans on the issue of equality.
Silent Sentinels speak volumes: Break down the barriers. Enact the ERA.
 
Betty Folliard is a thought leader, political strategist, a former 3-term legislator, and President Emeritus of ERA Minnesota -a coalition of thousands of activists & organizations dedicated to passing the Equal Rights Amendment into our state & national constitutions.
​

PRESS RELEASE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Monday, June 14, 2021

CONTACTS: 
Heather Allison, heather@eramn.org, BettyFolliard,  betty.folliard@gmail.com

 ERA Minnesota Sends Silent Sentinels to Stand Vigil at the DOJ, June 28-30

SAINT PAUL - On June 28-30, 2021, ERA Minnesota (ERAMN) will be sending a delegation of activists to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Equal Means Equal Silent Sentinel Protest Vigil in front of the U.S. Department of Justice.

ERAMN delegates will join activists from across the country to elevate the issue that U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has yet to rescind the Trump Administration’s Barr Memo which effectively stopped the U.S. Archivist from doing his ministerial duty to publish the ERA. This action continues the work of the Silent Sentinels who, 100 years ago, fought for the right to vote then pivoted to demand the U.S. finally legalize equality.

ERA facts:

• On January 27, 2020, Virginia became the 38th state in the nation to ratify the ERA, thereby clearing all the constitutional hurdles for the ERA to be added as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
• Two weeks before final ratification, the Trump DOJ’s Office of Legal Council issued an opinion stopping the Archivist from certifying the ERA once ratified.
• The ERA is the only constitutional amendment that has cleared both hurdles required by Article V of the U.S. Constitution (i.e., having been adopted by 2/3 of Congress and ratified by 3⁄4 states) that has not been added, simply because of an arbitrary and capricious time limit imposed by Congress.
• This past March 17th, Biden’s White House issued a statement supporting the resolution in Congress to remove the time limit on the ERA. This bill was passed by the U.S. House in February.
• The ERA is the only amendment passed by 38 states that was written, instigated, and justified by women since women gained the vote.

For more information, participate in this action or sponsor a sentinel, go to: www.eramn.org or https://equalmeansequal.org/blog/join-us-era-sentinel-outside-doj/

####

ERA Minnesota is a coalition of advocates and organizations dedicated to ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment into our federal & state constitutions, founded in 2014. ​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
Wednesday, March 17, 2021

US House Passes HJ Res 17!  

Washington, D.C.: Today the US House passed a joint resolution to remove the arbitrary and capricious time limit on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) with a bipartisan vote of 222-204.

"This is a historic moment for our country," said Betty Folliard, President Emeritus of ERA Minnesota.  "Today's US House ERA vote signals an inflection point, recognizing that women were intentionally left out of the Constitution from its inception and righting that egregious wrong."

"This is one giant step for womankind in our quest to secure the same legal rights as a class as men, as a class, enjoy." said ERA Minnesota President Heather Allison.  "The ERA will protect all of us equally under the law against discrimination on the basis of sex. And all means all."

Next steps for this resolution is to go to the US Senate for adoption where it has been given a priority number of SJ Res 1. 

by Betty Folliard

Our national partners ERA Coalition will host a live celebration and watch party for the upcoming House vote, this WEDNESDAY (3/17)!  The debate starts at 2:30 PM CT-----Vote at 3:30 PM CT.

They'll start the conversation before the floor speeches begin, and then we can watch the floor speeches. Afterwards we’re invited to join in on the celebration, featuring some special guests, coalition members, and elected officials. 

You can watch the full livestream on ERA Coalition Facebook page. 

This vote and the watch party is slated to happen on Wednesday, but the time is still in flux with the US House, so keep an eye on www.Facebook.com/ERAcoalition. 

Dear ERA Coalition Lead Organizations and Advocates,
 
Welcome to House vote week! I am writing to share some important resources and updates with you as we all prepare for this week’s exciting events.
 
Take Action with our House Vote Share Kit!
 
In advance of the House vote we want to make sure that the members of Congress are hearing from us that we want them to vote for HJ Res 17 when it is on the floor. Please use, and widely share, our share kit with graphics and posts. I’m also including a link to our updated action alert page for you to share with your netowrks.
 
Link to ERA House Vote Share Kit: House Vote Share Kit
Link to Updated Action Alert: Take Action
 
Link to watch Rules Committee meeting on HJ Res 17- Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. The Rules Committee will meet to establish the rules for the House vote which will take place on Wednesday. We’ve heard that the ERA will likely be debated late Tuesday afternoon. We will send out a notice when it is about to be brought up.
 
Announcement of Rules Committee meeting: Meeting Announcement for Tuesday, March 16, 2021 | House of Representatives Committee on Rules
Watch stream of the Rules Committee meeting here: House of Representatives Committee on Rules |
 
Date/Timing of Vote
 
The House will bring the ERA to the floor for a vote this Wednesday, March 17th. The House is also planning to vote on the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) the same day and we don’t yet have confirmation which bill will hit the floor first. We are told that General Debate on the ERA will begin around 12:00 pm and that a vote is expected to begin around 3:30 pm with final passage around 4:15 pm.
 
Join us for a celebration of the House Vote!
 
The ERA Coalition will be hosting a live Zoom event and invite all our partners to join us. We will be streaming this event on Facebook as well. Feel free to invite your friends to the Facebook event!
 
We be inviting members of Congress, celebrities and advocates from across the country to join us before the House begins it debate and after it finishes during the vote to talk about what this means, where we go next, and celebrate the win together! You can register at the link below:
 
Event info for RSVP (date and time will change).
Register in advance for this meeting at: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYld-CuqjkuH9Xt9GO7VzOV35_Ml4DSWaL2
 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The date and time will change as soon as we have firm confirmation of the start time, but we’ll be in touch with registrants with the new date/time as soon as we have it.
 
Best wishes,
Bettina
 
Bettina Hager (she/her)
DC Director & Director, Outreach and Advocacy | ERA Coalition/Fund for Women's Equality (FFWE)

Fabulous News! Progress toward equality just got a whole lot closer, with bipartisan co-sponsors having introduced ERA bills as “Day 1 Bills” in both the US House & the US Senate!

What this means is that these bills to remove the extra-textual time limit imposed on the ERA just became priority bills in both houses.

We now have a pro-equality President, a pro-equality US House, and a pro-equality US Senate. Equality of rights under the law I have never been closer.

Meanwhile, our primary push is to encourage the Biden Administration to pick up the phone and tell the Office of Legal Counsel to remove the previous Trump opinion that blocked the US Archivist from certifying the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. And ERA Minnesota is on amicus briefs for two major lawsuits to end the blockade put up by the previous administration.

This is a recorded Zoom presentation that Betty Folliard did for the Minneapolis AAUW.

ST PAUL, July 2, 2020 – ERA Minnesota (ERAMN) is proud to join an amicus brief on behalf of a national coalition of over 50 women's rights organizations to impel the US Archivist to certify the now-ratified Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 

This amicus brief was filed on behalf of ERA Coalition, a national coalition of 76 member organizations of which ERA Minnesota is a Lead Organization, advocating for state and federal constitutional amendments to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex. The amicus brief was created by a team at Winston & Strawn Law Firm in Chicago spearheaded by Linda Coberly, managing partner at the firm and Chair of ERA Coalition's Legal Task Force.

Now that the ERA has satisfied all constitutional requirements to formally ratify it into the US Constitution, this amicus brief argues that the arbitrary, extra-textual 7-year time frame imposed by Congress in 1972 should not prevent adoption as it does not have the power to alter provisions of the Constitution that govern amendments.

"Thank you to the Attorneys General of Nevada, Illinois, & Virginia for authoring this litigation to ensure that the ERA is acknowledged as the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution," said Heather Allison, President of ERA Minnesota “The ERA is the most logical step to forming a more perfect union by including all in the founding document of our country.”

“This litigation is supported by 23 Attorney’s General, major law firms, 93 major companies & corporations, and vast, diverse women’s rights organizations across the land,” said Betty Folliard, Founder of ERAMN; “and on the 100th Anniversary of women gaining the rights to vote, it’s high time to provide constitutional protections against sex discrimination.”

Here is a complete list of participants in this amicus brief:

• Alice Paul Institute (API)
• American Association of University Women (AAUW)
• Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA)
• Arizona NOW
• Black Women's Roundtable (BWR)
• Dolores Huerta Foundation
• Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP)
• Downtown Women for Change
• Equal Rights Amendment North Carolina Alliance (ERA-NC Alliance)
• Equality Utah
• ERA Coalition
• ERA Minnesota
• ERA Task Force AZ
• Feminist Majority Foundation
• Fund for Women's Equality (FFWE)
• Gender Justice
• General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC)
• Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc.
• Justice Revival
• League of Women Voters of the United States
• Legal Momentum
• Michigan Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc.
• Michigan ERAmerica
• Mormons for ERA
• National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV)
• National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW)
• National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
• National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)
• National Congress of Black Women, Inc.
• National Council of Jewish Women, Inc.
• National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs
• National Immigrant Women's Advocacy Project, Inc. (NIWAP)
• National Organization for Women (NOW)
• National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC)
• National Women's Political Caucus Foundation
• Oklahoma Women's Coalition
• Project 28 MO
• Rethinking Eve LLC
• Service Women's Action Network (SWAN)
• Sisters of Loretto - Loretto Community
• Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Area
• TIME'S UP Foundation
• Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
• United 4 Equality, LLC
• Utah ERA Coalition
• Voto Latino
• Women's Equality Coalition
• Women's Health and Reproductive Rights
• Women's Law Project (WLP)
• Women Lawyers on Guard Inc. (WLG)
• Women's Media Center
• YWCA USA

​Press Release from ERA Coalition.
For immediate release - January 15, 2020.                                                                                                                                              
Richmond, VA – The ERA Coalition is celebrating an historic victory. The Equal Rights Amendment is about to clear its final Constitutional hurdle as Virginia becomes the 38th state to ratify it, now that both the Senate and the House of Delegates have passed identical bills to be formalized in an upcoming procedural vote. As we mark the 100th anniversary of American women winning the right to vote, we can also celebrate the success of the nearly 100 year-long quest for constitutional equality.

The ERA Coalition was formed in 2014 to work for constitutional equality. Our own polling shows that 94% of Americans support the ERA – and an unprecedented 99% of millennials support it. The message is clear: it is time for women to have equal rights in the Constitution. Women will no longer be subjected to second-class citizenship in the United States.

Despite this overwhelming support, some still seek to deny women equality. We will work closely with Congress to remove any ambiguity or obstacles that opponents argue remain in the way. The Coalition will also monitor the courts to stay current with any litigation concerning the Equal Rights Amendment. We will also continue to work with the 12 remaining unratified states in an effort to secure ratification of the ERA by all fifty states.

It’s an historic day in America. Virginia, with bipartisan support, has now pushed women around the country across the finish line toward equality and freedom from discrimination on account of sex.

This has been an incredible team effort beginning with the three women who co-founded the Coalition: co-president Jessica Neuwirth, Coalition Board Chair Maria Vullo, and Treasurer Liz Young. They have worked alongside our CEO and co-President Carol Jenkins and former chair of the ERA Coalition and current chair of our sister organization Fund for Women’s Equality Chair Marcy Syms. Our gratitude goes out to our amazing board, our D.C. Director Bettina Hager, our legal task force, and our lead organizations and supporters. We thank you all. Today is a day to celebrate.
​##

#ERAMN officers Betty Folliard and Suzann Willhite, will join #VAratifyERA advocates, national affiliates Equal Means Equal & ERA Coalition, and activists from across the country in Richmond, Virginia to help bend the arc of history toward justice and equality in America.  
 
Virginia is the only state in the Confederate South to have voted in a liberal legislature, and now lawsuits are flying into the federal courts on both sides of the argument to determine whether or not to void the artificial deadline that was imposed on the ERA. 
 
“The closer we get to achieving justice & equal rights for women, the more the pushback. Now the Trump* Administration’s Department of Justice has weighed in, issuing an opinion that the ERA deadline is passed. That’s their opinion and their opinion is not binding either in Congress or in the courts,” said Ms. Folliard. “We’re going to Virginia to declare otherwise, because you can’t put a time limit on human rights.”
 
“Congress changed the deadline once already and they have the power to do so again,” said Heather Allison, President of ERAMN. “We have legislation to that affect in both houses of Congress, and in the US House a majority of members are co-sponsors of our bill.” 
 
This is an historic year, representing the 100th Anniversary of women’s right to vote, and women’s rights activists intend to complete the unfinished business of the Suffragists, to pass the ERA.
 
“The unfinished business is to finally include women in the foundational document of this country – the US Constitution,” said Suzann Willhite, ERAMN Secretary. “Let us in.”

*impeached 
​

There being 21 Ayes & 11 No’s, the US House Judiciary Committee just passed #HJRes79- the bill to #DeleteTheDeadline on the #EqualRightsAmendment #ERA! 

The US House Committee on the Judiciary met Wednesday, November 13, 2019 to discuss House Judicary Resolution 79: Removing the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) 

Chairman Nadler's opening statement included:
​​"H.J. Res. 79, introduced by Representative Jackie Speier with 217 co-sponsors, would ensure that the Equal Rights Amendment, or "ERA," can become part of our Constitution if and when a sufficient number of states ratify it.  Specifically, this short and straightforward measure provides that notwithstanding the ratification deadline that Congress set for the ERA in 1972, and extended in 1978, the ERA "shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States."  [read the whole statement/press release]
​
​Thank you, #ChairmanNadler.

Here is the full coverage of the hearing.  It should start at the beginning, but if not:
The hearing begins at 50:33 and ends at 2:12:29.

FYI: This resolution would still have to pass through a US Senate committee and then pass through both Chambers, in exactly the same form, and signed by the President (or, re-passed in override of a presidential veto; or, remain unsigned for ten days while Congress is in session) to become a law.

Call Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House) NOW and demand a full House vote on HJRes79!
CA tel: (415) 556-4862
DC tel: (202) 225-4965

​Virginia voters made it happen!  Democrats flipped the house and senate and have control of state government for the first time in a generation.   They have elected candidates who can ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

Phase 2 of the fight begins -- all legislators must be contacted and encouraged to vote to ratify the ERA for the good of the country.  Virginia will be the 38th state and with that comes RATIFICATION!  

Read a full article from the Washington Post

Week Five Report – Strengthening Momentum for ERA Ratification in Virginia
By Kamala, Natalie & the Equal Means Equal Team

Since our Week Two Report on September 26th, EQUAL MEANS EQUAL has been on the ground doing educational outreach in the communities in and around south/central Virginia. The local news caught our visit to Hampton University, a HBCU (Historically Black College or University).  

[Read More]  see the full posting at Equal Means Equal blog

Note:  If Virginia ratifies the National ERA we will have reached the critical 38 states to have a National Equal Rights Amendment!

ERAMN Federal Update   by Betty Folliard   9.11.19
 
PROGRESS REPORT

• In 2017 Nevada became the 36th state in the nation to ratify the federal ERA; last year Illinois finally cut its ties with the Confederacy and became the 37th state in the nation to ratify the federal ERA. These states sparked the match to ratify the federal ERA with bipartisan support, by making it crystal clear that a vote for the ERA is a vote for equality. Now we need only 1 more state to reach the ¾ requirement of 38 states.
• Our ERAMN Legislative Team worked throughout the Fall/Winter to garner chief authors, co-authors, and gain support for the Minnesota ERA bills. In May the Federal ERA Bill passed the MN House Unanimously 81-0 with 72 Dems & 9 GOP in a bipartisan vote.
• In April, Betty gave an ERA/CEDAW presentation to the NY State AAUW Annual Convention in Cooperstown NY.
• Also in April the US House Judiciary Committee held the first hearing on the ERA in 36 years, focusing on the “DeleteTheDeadline” bill: a bipartisan effort with 206 co-sponsors that will eliminate the sunset imposed on women’s rights in 1982 (218 needed for a majority!). ERAMN sent 2 delegates to represent us. We are told the Mark-up & Vote will take place this Fall.
• In July, Patty Mac, Rep. Rena Moran & Betty Folliard gave an ERA2020 Workshop (~50 attendees) at the National Organization of Women (NOW) national conference in Bloomington; and Betty then presented an ERA2020 Plenary Speech to the full conference.
• Also in July, Betty & Rep. Kaohly Her did a 1-hour ERA interview on MPR.
• In August, ERA Coalition- our DC-based national partner, held a bipartisan Capitol Hill briefing on the ERA in the US Senate hosted by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). 
• With the addition of Delaware this year, half the country (25 states) has ERA’s in their state constitutions (with New York poised to soon pass their own state ERA). State ERA’s in half of states prove that there’s nothing apocalyptic about a federal ERA.
• The most likely state to take us over the top is Virginia. This year, by a vote of 50-50, their ERA legislative effort was 1 vote shy of passing the federal ERA. Every legislative seat in their house & senate is up for election THIS YEAR. AND WE CAN HELP!

BIG NEWS! 
The US House Judiciary Chair Jerrold Nadler has called the first official hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on the Equal Rights Amendment- HJRes38 (which corresponds to Rena Moran's HF71) to be held on Tuesday, April 30th.

This is the 1st time in 36 years that the ERA will be discussed in Congress!  And we look forward to the MN House airing of Rena's bill. 

ACTION ALERT: 1-MINUTE EFFORT

Click below to send a clear message to your US Senators & Congress Member to sign onto #ERA ”Delete the Deadline” Resolutions‼️

SJRes6: Sponsor Senator Cardin seems to be taking a balanced approach to co-sponsors. So far there’s himself (D), 2 R’s, & 1 I on the bill. Both Klobuchar & Smith signed on last Session, and should get on this year.

H.J.Res.38: Here in MN, thus far only Craig, Omar & McCollum are signed on. There are a record 182 Co-sponsors on the bill❣️

Let’s give ‘em a nudge. 

Go HERE to send your message now!

PRESS RELEASE from the Senate DFL Caucus
Committee to Review Bills Barred from Senate Hearings
​Sen. Little to Chair; Sen. Franzen, Vice Chair; 

St. Paul, MN –
“These bills could save many lives and tax dollars,” Sen. Little (DFL-Lakeville) previewed, “But they haven’t been given a single senate hearing. Our democracy isn’t supposed to work this way- it’s the worst kind of partisanship.” The fictitious ‘Senate Committee on Banned Bills’ will hold a very real hearing on April 1stat 9:00am in 1100 Minnesota Senate Building to review a variety of legislation that have been refused committee hearings in the senate. This committee hearing will be open to the public and people are encouraged to attend.

“These bills have huge public support and are common sense ideas,” Sen. Little continued, “They’ve been banned for completely crass partisan reasons; because they are targeting certain seats, and don’t want to give certain people any achievements to campaign with. But the senate can’t make good decisions if major options aren’t even on the table. Partisan games like this are rigging our democracy, and blocking bills that voters really want.”
  
The Senate Committee on Banned Bills (COBB) is slated to review the proposed bills, take testimony from citizens and expert witnesses, and debate the merits of each policy.  A wide array of bills will be introduced during the hearing, including legislation dealing with paid family medical leave, gun safety, and the health care provider tax [agenda and complete list of members and bills below].  

Until late yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka had declared that he would “do everything in his power” to prevent new gun legislation. Early this morning the Star Tribune reported that Leader Gazelka had changed position and agreed to allow a hearing on certain gun safety measures if the house passed the same bills first. 

“I am encouraged by Sen. Gazelka’s apparent willingness to hear my background check and red flag bills,” Sen. Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park) commented, “But his announcement comes only two days before the committee deadline. As of yet, these hearings have not been scheduled, so this April first hearing will make sure that the views of the majority of Minnesotans are heard in the Senate.”  

“Reforms like universal background checks are supported by over 87% of all Minnesota gun owners,” Sen. Latz noted, “These issues deserve to be heard in the senate.”  

For other senators, their motivations center around key issues, such as restoring the rights of felons after they have completed their sentences. “Restoring voting rights after people have done their time just makes sense,” Sen. Champion (DFL-Minneapolis) explained, “How can you expect people to feel they have a chance in life if we keep them on the outside forever? Restoring their right to vote isn’t enough, but it’s an important step toward making them a productive, whole person again, after they’re released. That would be life changing for thousands of people.”  

For Sen. Susan Kent (DFL-Woodbury), Paid Family and Medical Leave is a test of Minnesota’s moral compass, “Whether we assist or abandon families during a medical crisis says a lot about who we are as a society. Forcing people to choose between a day’s pay or caring for a dying parent is a moral failure for Minnesota. The public is overwhelmingly behind paid family and medical leave. And many businesses want it because they can’t provide paid leave if their competitors don’t have to provide it too. If businesses and families want paid medical leave, why won’t the senate even give this bill a hearing? It’s a disgrace.”  

All the senate members of the Committee on Banned Bills share the view that the normal democratic process requires hearings on all major options. “We are not talking about small, obscure, radical bills here,” Sen. Franzen (DFL-Edina) noted, “These are consensus policies on major issues. These proposals deserve a hearing, and most importantly, the citizens who have poured their energy into these bills deserve to be heard.”  

The fate of these bills will be uncertain even after the Committee on Banned Bills hears them.  “We hope this hearing puts pressure on committee chairs to hear these bills,” Sen. Little noted, “But either way, we want voters to know about these crucial issues so they can make up their own minds. We can’t let crass partisanship prevent voters from learning about key issues.” 

Sen. Little believes advocates for these issues have been left with no alternative, “If the committee chairs won’t do the right thing, then we have to. They’ve left millions of Minnesotans with no voice and no hope on some of the biggest issues facing families today.”  

Senate Committee on Banned Bills Agenda for Monday, April 1: 

1. SF 434 – Latz – Firearms transfers and private party firearms transfers criminal background checks requirement 
2. SF 399 – Hayden – MinnesotaCare provider tax repeal
3. SF 1012 – Torres Ray – Increase Teachers of Color Act strengthening and appropriation
4. SF 1060 – Kent – Paid family, pregnancy, bonding, and applicant’s serious medical condition benefits establishment; employment leaves authorization and regulation; data classification authorization and appropriation  
5. SF 856 – Champion – Right to vote restoration upon incarceration release or sentencing imposition; county attorney voter registration and eligibility investigation obligation repeal
6. SF 208 – Pappas – Resolution memorializing Congress to remove the deadline for ratification of the equal rights amendment by the states SF 200 – Cohen – Constitutional amendment for gender equality under the law

Senate Committee on Banned Bills Membership:

• Sen. Matt Little – Chair
• Sen. Melisa Franzen – Vice Chair
• Sen. Karla Bigham
• Sen. Bobby Joe Champion
• Sen. Steve Cwodzinski
• Sen. Nick Frentz
• Sen. Jeff Hayden
• Sen. Jason Isaacson 
• Sen. Susan Kent
• Sen. Sandy Pappas
• Sen. Patricia Torres Ray

Senator Matt Little represents Senate District 58, which covers Lakeville, Farmington, a small slice of Northfield and more than a dozen townships and small communities including Empire, Vermillion, New Trier and Douglas.

Learn more about Sen. Little.

Next Friday, March 8th, ERA Minnesota announces our celebration of International Women’s Day #IWD2019 by hosting the 3rd Annual ERA Rally at the Minnesota Capitol Rotunda. The event will feature Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan along with top legislative leaders and ERA supporters, to spotlight the urgent need for an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in our state and federal constitutions.

Legislative leaders and thousands of activists from across the state are pushing to pass two initiatives currently in the Minnesota House & Senate: HF13 (Kunesh-Podein)/SF200 (Cohen) - a Minnesota ERA to the state constitution providing for gender equality under the law and proposing a constitutional amendment that will be added to the ballot in the 2020 general election for voters to decide; and HF71 (Moran)/SF208 (Pappas) - a resolution memorializing Congress to remove the words “June 30th 1982” that comprised the deadline imposed on the ERA federal legislation so the ERA it can be added to the U.S. Constitution when ratified by the last state.

The Minnesota House is poised to pass both bills in the coming week. All attention and energies will then pivot to the Minnesota Senate to give the bills full and fair hearings to pass the ERA.

WHAT:  ERA Lobby Day & Rally at the Capitol
WHEN:  Friday, March 8th, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Rally at 10:00 AM
               (Lobby your senator before and after the Rally)
WHERE:  Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda
HOSTED BY: ERA Minnesota

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS: 

• Governor Tim Walz
• Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan
• Sen. Dick Cohen
• Sen. Sandy Pappas
• Sen. Scott Dibble
• Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein
• Rep. Rena Moran
• Rep. Kaohly Her
• Rep. Hunter Cantrell

ERA Bill Numbers: HF13/SF200; and HF71/SF208.

To be on the statewide ballot in 2020 the proposed Constitutional amendment needs a simple majority in both the Minnesota House and Senate.
 
Lisa Stratton, a legal expert in gender discrimination, testified that enshrining gender equality in Minnesota’s Constitution would make it clear to the courts that they need to apply the highest level of scrutiny to laws that create or reinforce gender disparities. It would also make clear that such laws must be justified by a compelling state interest and the law under review must be found to be necessary. This standard would place gender equality on the same footing as racial and religious equality.
 
Adding an equal protection clause to the Constitution is another step forward in Minnesota’s long journey towards becoming a place that embraces the diversity and uniqueness of its people. As Jettie Ann Hill, a 26-year state employee and member of the MN Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) said, “Now is the time for Minnesota to begin closing the gap and recognizing the intersection between race and gender by adding the ERA to the state Constitution.”
 
The amendment would have a positive benefit to Minnesota’s economy and help to reduce the pay gap between men and women. Hill continued, “It is well documented that Black, Latino, American Indian, and other women of color in Minnesota face complex economic inequalities, and more training and education does not lead to the same economic payoff as men.”
 
Some of the most powerful testimony was given by MatasCastillo who spoke to her experience as a survivor of sexual assault in the military and to being recognized as the first woman to hold positions traditionally held by men.
 
“I was proud to blaze a trail that others could follow, but if I am honest, I never asked to serve as an exemplar of my gender, but only to serve. They call that a privilege, but it would be a far greater privilege to live in a world where women did not need to prove the worth of their gender to earn the respect given as a matter of course to men.”
 
Pheng Thao, the Statewide Coordinator for Men and Masculine Folks Network, spoke to the amendment’s ability to help change our culture for the better, highlighting the tragic fact that one in three women and girls in Minnesota experience gender violence in their lifetime. Thao went on to say, “We live in a culture where we are still teaching our boys and young men rigid ideas about manhood – dominant, strong-willed, emotionless – and that women and girls are there to serve their needs.”

PRESS Release:  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   January 24, 2019
Contact:   Heather Allison (651) 214-1702 heather@eramn.org
                    Betty Folliard  (612) 868-3511 betty.folliard@gmail.com
                
The ERA is in the House
                   
ST PAUL, MINN – ERA Minnesota (ERA MN www.eramn.org) is thrilled to announce that for the first time in decades the Minnesota House will hold hearings on Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) bills today -- January 24th, 2019 before the Government Operations Committee, SOB Room 10 at 9:45 AM.
 
There are two ERA bills to be heard in the Government Operations 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 -- the constitutional amendment -- would  provide for gender equality under the law and proposes a constitutional 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.
 
“Pay inequity, workplace gender discrimination, domestic violence, rape & campus sexual assault, female poverty, pregnancy discrimination, and laws that unjustly affect men will all be helped by an ERA;” says M. Kathleen Murphy, VP of ERAMN & Founder of CAFE Coalition; “that’s why the ERA is so badly needed.”

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.