Gender Justice statement on the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment advancing the State House
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2024
CONTACT
Noah Parrish, Communications Director
[email protected]
651.432.0171
Today, the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) advanced through the House Rules Committee, a final stop before the House Floor. The updated ERA would allow Minnesotans to add protections for equal rights in the state constitution through a 2026 ballot measure. Today, neither the Minnesota nor the U.S. Constitutions guarantee equal rights based on sex or gender. The updated Minnesota ERA protects all Minnesotans under the law, including women, LGBTQ+ community members, and pregnant people. If passed by voters, it would protect gender and reproductive freedom, no matter who sits in the Governor’s office, legislature, or the courts.
Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice, stated:
“In Minnesota, we value freedom, fairness, and equality. Every person deserves equal rights under the law, no exceptions. For years, Minnesotans have watched states across the country dismantle the rights of women, pregnant people, and transgender community members.
We applaud the House for advancing the updated Equal Rights Amendment with strong and inclusive language that leaves nobody out. The bill protects gender and reproductive freedom, and gives Minnesotans the chance to enshrine our values in the state Constitution through a statewide ballot measure–it is time to bring this urgent amendment to the House Floor.”
The ERA’s next stop is the House Floor. The Senate, which passed a previous version of the ERA last session, needs to concur with the House to send it to voters for a statewide ballot amendment in 2026. The ERA is supported by a broad coalition of community, legal, labor, faith, health, LGBTQ+, racial justice, and civic organizations.
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Gender Justice is a legal and policy advocacy non-profit dedicated to advancing gender equity through the law. It works to ensure that people of all genders have a meaningful right to bodily autonomy, safety, health, and opportunity by dismantling legal, structural, and cultural barriers that contribute to gender inequity. For more information, please visit www.genderjustice.us.
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