Equal Rights Amendment

The Equal Rights Amendment, more appropriately called the “Erosion of Rights Amendment,” would diminish the hard-earned rights and protections of women and could eliminate conscience rights and religious liberty of all Minnesotans.

The current language goes beyond attempting to protect “sex” as a class, but rather would protect people based on their “gender identity or expression.” This would undo years of hard-fought women’s rights victories, and if passed by legislators, would be sent to Minnesota voters during a general election.

Help us stop this legislation in its tracks and instead protect women, girls, and our religious liberty!

Take Action

Handouts and Other Advocacy Resources

Read our one-pager explaining the Equal Rights Amendment.

Then, share it with your friends, family, and fellow parishioners!

Print and this poster and display it on your parish bulletin board or at your place of work. Share it with your friends and family!

Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements

Share this announcement at your parish to help encourage others to make their voice heard:

Minnesota’s bishops are urging every Catholic across Minnesota, and particularly in key legislative districts, to speak out against the so-called "Equal Rights Amendment." If our state legislature passes this ballot measure, the amendment would likely erode religious freedom and the rights that uphold the dignity of girls and women in our state. It would also guarantee a right to abortion in our State Constitution. Contact your State Representative by email, phone call, or video by going to MNCatholic.org and clicking the "take action" button.

Action Alert: https://www.mncatholic.org/action_21473

Read Our Inside the Capitol Columns on This Issue

February 2, 2024:

There has been a lot of speculation leading up to the session about whether the House will vote to pass the so-called constitutional “Equal Rights Amendment” and add it to the ballot in the November election. The ERA is a trojan horse to weaken women’s rights. The current language goes beyond attempting to protect “sex” as a class, but rather would protect people based on their “gender identity or expression.” This would diminish the hard-earned rights and protections of women and could eliminate conscience rights and religious liberty of all Minnesotans by compelling them to acquiesce to gender ideology.

Read the Full Column

November 20, 2023:

"The proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Minnesota Constitution, more appropriately called the Erosion of Rights Amendment, would diminish hard-earned rights and protections of women and could eliminate conscience rights and religious liberty of all Minnesotans.

...

The ERA is unnecessary. The Minnesota Supreme Court has interpreted the Minnesota Constitution to require equal protection of the laws. In addition to longstanding federal and state constitutional protections barring discrimination, the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) bans, among other things, sex discrimination as well as discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but in a limited manner, with protections for common-sense distinctions and exemptions for religious entities. The balance of interests in the MHRA ensures that the law is treated as a shield against unjust discrimination rather than a sword against those who hold views consistent with biological reality."

Read the Full Column

Listen to Our Video Content on This Topic:

Jason Adkins discusses the ERA, among other topics on Real Presence Radio:

Jason and Maggee discuss the ERA in their weekly update:

Bishop Barron Discusses Gender Ideology:

Bill Status and the Constitutional Amendment Process

Status:

S.F. 37/H.F. 173 was introduced and heard during the 2023 session in both the House and the Senate.
S.F. 37 passed the Senate during the final week of the 2023 legislative session.
After passing in the Senate, S.F. 37 sent to the House for a vote, but the House did not take it up during the final days of the 2023 session.
S.F. 37 has not yet passed the House, which means there is still time to stop it. This is where YOU come in!
If we stop this legislation in the House in 2024, it will not be placed on the ballot. Instead, it would have to be re-introduced and pass both bodies again in 2025 if proponents still want to pass it.

How would it get into the Constitution?

The legislature introduces an act proposing a change in the Constitution.
The act must be approved by a majority vote in both the Senate and the House.
Once the proposed amendment is passed, it is placed on a general election ballot.
It does not require the governor’s signature or veto like a normal bill.
Amendments are ratified if approved by a majority of those who vote in the election.

In the case of the ERA, since it only needs to pass the House, the legislators could take it up for a vote any day after the legislative session begins on February 12. It does not need to go through any more committees, so a simple majority vote could pass it and send it to our ballots.

Equal Rights Amendment