ERA push comes to life again in Minnesota, where amendment effort never actually ended

A new campaign in Minnesota is part of a decades-old effort towards equal rights for women.

The Equal Rights Amendment Minnesota Coalition has put up billboards around the state to launch an awareness campaign aimed at getting the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed by state lawmakers.

The ERA amendment has been introduced in every legislative session since 1983 but never voted on by either the full House or Senate.

“It kind of goes back and forth,” says Kathleen Murphy with the ERA Minnesota Coalition. “We’re trying to raise awareness on the federal effort, that also helps us, hopefully, garner more support to get it in the Minnesota Constitution, as well.”

Illinois was the latest state to ratify the federal ERa, 36 years after a deadline imposed by Congress. Just one state is needed now in order to send the amendment back to Congress for possible inclusion in the U.S Constitution.

Murphy’s group thinks the time is right to change things.

“The #MeToo movement, of course, has been a big eye opener, I think, for a lot of people about how much sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, and things like that, that are still pervasive,” Murphy said.