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Supporters of the effort to have Virginia ratify the Equal Rights Amendment wait to greet legislators. (Photo by Sarah King)
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The 2019 General Assembly session opened on Wednesday. (Photo by Sarah King)
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Signs promoting the #VAratifyERA effort were all over the Capitol, including the women's restroom. (Photo by Sarah King)
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...and by the cigarette disposal outside. (Photo by Sarah King)
As the 2019 General Assembly session got under way, a joint resolution aimed at making Virginia the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment — SJ 284, introduced by Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R-Richmond) — passed the Senate Privileges and Elections committee 8-6.
Supporters of the Virginia campaign to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (#VAratifyERA) could be seen all over the State Capitol on Wednesday, kicking off with a news conference urging legislators in both chambers and across the aisle to support ratifying the amendment as passed by Congress in 1972. For the measure to be added to the U.S. Constitution, 38 states must ratify it. By 1982, 35 states had ratified the amendment, and in 2017 and 2018, two more joined. Virginia would be No. 38, if the effort succeeds.
Last year, similar legislation stalled in the House Privileges and Elections Committee. On Wednesday, SJ 284 passed the majority-Republican Senate committee 8-6.