February 12, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Legislators, Activists Roll-Out Wisconsin ERA Bill

MADISON Today, Mara Jarvis, Madison Chapter President of the National Organization for Women (NOW),Reps. JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milwaukee), Lisa Subeck (D-Madison), David Crowley (D-Milwaukee)and Tip McGuire (D-Kenosha) announced the introduction of an Equal Rights Amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution.

Wisconsin’s Equal Rights Amendment establishes equal rights on the basis of sex, gender identity, race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religion, national origin, marital status, family status, age, ancestry, or any other immutable characteristic.

I’m proud to stand with my colleagues and activists to push for this constitutional amendment,”said Rep. Zamarripa. “I’ve faced discrimination in my life as a Latina when the promise of America has not lived up to its ideals. But at the end of the day, I’m proud to speak Spanish with a Wisconsin accent, and I’m proud to be one of many women and openly LGBT leaders in elected office. Our state has a proud history of fighting for equality. This change to our constitution would be a reflection of an important Wisconsin valuewe all deserve equal treatment under the law.”

The federal Equal Rights Amendment passed through the U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 12, 1971, and through the U.S. Senate on March 22, 1972. As the Amendment went to the states for ratification, many states took the opportunity to establish an Equal Rights Amendment in their state constitutions as well. Wisconsin acted as one of the first states to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment, doing so on April 26, 1972. However, Wisconsin still does not have a state Equal Rights Amendment in our constitution.

Our constitution is our statement of values to the world,” said Rep. McGuire. “Our state and our nation were founded on equal rights under the law, and this amendment will ensure equality for every Wisconsinite under our constitution.”

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Printable Version of this release available here.

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