Supporters gathered at the Capitol to push for the Equal Rights Amendment in Minnesota
Last session, the Minnesota House passed the bill with a close 68-62 vote, but it didn’t make it through the Senate. Rep. Leigh Finke from St. Paul announced plans to reintroduce the amendment in the 2025 session.
The atmosphere was charged as people came together to show their support. Finke emphasized that laws can change with political shifts, but a constitutional amendment would provide lasting protections.
The proposed amendment would need voter approval and aims to prevent discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, or sex, including pregnancy and sexual orientation.
Finke is determined to push for the Equal Rights Amendment in the upcoming legislative session. Organizations like Gender Justice and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota are backing these efforts. If all goes well, voters might see this on the ballot in the 2026 election.
So far, 38 states have ratified an Equal Rights Amendment, with Virginia being the latest in 2020. Over 120 members of the U.S. House have urged President Biden to support the ratification of the ERA.
