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Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House2025-03-26

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill would have North Carolina officially ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution, which states that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied on account of sex. The bill argues that the ERA became the 28th Amendment in 2020 when Virginia became the 38th state to ratify it, meeting the three-fourths requirement, and that North Carolina's ratification would be a formal recognition of this constitutional change.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue that the ERA is already constitutionally valid as of January 2020 when Virginia's ratification reached the three-fourths threshold, and North Carolina should formally acknowledge this milestone.
• •They contend that public opinion strongly favors the amendment (polls showing 71.5% support in North Carolina), that it aligns with the state's historical role in protecting individual rights, and that it provides important constitutional protection against sex discrimination—protections notably absent from North Carolina's own state constitution.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents likely argue about the disputed timeline and legal status of the ERA, noting that Congress included a seven-year deadline in the ratification process and that the federal government has not officially certified the amendment as ratified.
• •They may also raise concerns about what specific legal changes or litigation the ERA could trigger, or question whether further federal constitutional amendments are necessary given existing civil rights protections under federal law and the 14th Amendment.