Representative Melissa Wintrow Introduces Equal Rights Amendment

On Thursday, Representative Melissa Wintrow introduced the Equal Rights Amendment as a personal bill in the House. The Joint Resolution would amend Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Idaho to include sex equality. The Equal Rights Amendment would add Section 24 to Article 1, outlining that equality of rights and responsibilities under law shall not be denied or abridged on the account of sex. The addition of sex equality in the Constitution would protect against injustices such as inequitable salaries based on gender.

In 1923, Alice Paul introduced the Equal Rights Amendment to ensure equal application of the Constitution to all persons, regardless of their sex. Idaho approved the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972 and then rescinded it in 1979. All Idahoans are deserving of equal treatment under the Constitution.  Rep. Wintrow explained, I am committed to furthering the rights of all people and it is inexcusable that the rights of any person could be denied on the basis of sex. The legislature cannot continue to ignore the fact that women are paid less than men for the same work. With the 100th anniversary of the Women Suffrage this year, it is well past time for the legislature to recognize women’s equality.

Equal rights under the Idaho State Constitution regardless of sex is something that has been fought for close to a century. Idaho should protect the rights of all people and adding sex equality is an important step in that process. I keep bringing the Equal Rights Amendment as a personal bill in hopes of getting a full hearing in committee. I am working closely with my legislative colleagues to convince them that it is important to have a conversation about the Equal Rights Amendment where the public can be involved.

Virginia passed the Equal Rights Amendment earlier this year, becoming the 38th state in the nation to ratify it. When Congress sent the ERA to the states, there was a ratification deadline in 1982. However, the movement has recently reignited and there are now enough states to ratify the ERA as the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Currently, there is an ongoing debate among state legislatures, legal scholars, and the federal government over whether the ERA should be ratified after the 1982 deadline.