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Home » Archives for Audrey Muck » Page 9

Audrey Muck

Path to Ratification

March 17, 2019 by Audrey Muck 5 Comments

Do you wonder how our ERA bills will move forward toward ratification here in North Carolina? Here’s a quick primer on the process and where things stand right now:

  • Make Equality RealityBill Introduced
    • Brief Window for Co-Sponsors Opens
  • 1st Reading in each Chamber.
  • Sent to Committee. Committee hearings are optional, but we hope the committees will choose to hold hearings and vote the bills out of committee and back to the full chamber. If no action is taken, the bill dies in committee. Click on the committee names below, where the ERA has typically been sent, to see who serves on each committee. While you’re there you can see what other bills have been assigned to the committee and subscribe to get email updates about committee actions.
    • House Judiciary Committee.
    • Senate Rules Committee; historically this is the committee bills have been sent to to die, but we have plenty of ERA friends on this committee, too!
  • When a Committee approves a bill, it returns to the full chamber for 2nd Reading & Debate
  • 3rd Reading & More Debate in Chamber
  • Bill Moves to Other Body (repeat process)
  • Other Body Approves Bill
  • Bill is Ratified!

When an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified by the NC General Assembly, it doesn’t require the Governor’s signature.

In the case of the Equal Rights Amendment, we also need action at the Federal level to lift the time limit unfortunately written into the preamble back in 1972 by North Carolina’s own Senator Sam Ervin. Currently there are bills in Congress to do just that. You can also read and track those online at Congress.gov; just type “Equal Rights Amendment” in the search box and it will bring up what bills are live in this Congressional session. There are bills to lift the time limit as well as bills to start the amendment process over from the beginning. The U.S. House of Representatives has repeatedly passed bills to lift the time limit, but the U.S. Senate continues to squash the sister bill.

ERA advocates have finally achieved the required ratification by 38 states when Virginia ratified on January 27, 2020. Lawsuits are pending by both pro- and anti-ERA forces. The ERA-NC Alliance has signed on to the ERA Coalition’s amici briefs.

We will continue to post updates and calls to action as events unfold! Sign up for our monthly news and action letter to stay up to date on developments.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Ratification Bills Introduced

March 7, 2019 by Audrey Muck 2 Comments

Ratification Bills Introduction Day – March 5th, 2019

Bills to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment were introduced in both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly on March 5th. ERA-NC Alliance organized a statewide presence in Raleigh, with ERA advocates from the coast to the mountains on hand to witness the introductions and to encourage every single member of the General Assembly to sign on as a co-sponsor. A panel discussion was held in the NCGA Equal Rights Caucus featuring Eleanor Smeal of the Feminist Majority, and Carol Jenkins and Bettina Hager of the ERA Coalition, with ERA-NC Alliance co-president Joanna Wade as moderator. That was followed by a press conference with the bills’ primary sponsors and many co-sponsors present. A mobile billboard organized by Alliance Lead Organization, League of Women Voters of NC, also circled the capitol throughout the day!

Press Conference video:

Equal Rights Caucus video:

Video courtesy of Brave Lens Films, Inc.

 

Filed Under: ERA News, Events Tagged With: Bettina Hager, Carol Jenkins, Eleanor Smeal, Equal Rights Amendment, Joanna Wade, NC, NCGA, North Carolina, ratification, Ratify

Make Calls on March 5th

March 3, 2019 by Audrey Muck Leave a Comment

ERA bills will be introduced in the NCGA on March 5th, 2019
Can’t make it to the NC General Assembly on March 5th but want to be part of the action?

You can contact the legislators representing your county to let them know that you strongly support the Equal Rights Amendment and expect them to do the same.

Here are some key points to cover (although we hope you will use your own voice, stories, and perspective!):

  • There will never be equal rights in this country until all laws apply to citizens regardless of their sex.
  • The laws we thought might protect women have not been strictly applied.
  • Families’ very economic survival depends on non-discrimination in hiring, paying, promoting, and providing a safe working environment for everyone, including women.
  • North Carolina should be the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
  • The bill to ratify the ERA is being introduced on March 5th. Once introduced, there is a very short time for legislators to sign on as co-sponsors. We urge you to indicate your support as soon as possible. Please visit the NCGA Dashboard to digitally co-sponsor the ERA ratification bills that were filed today (March 5). 
  • If you are on the committee where the bill lands, we urge you to:
    • request a public hearing on the bill
    • pass it out of committee with a favorable report
    • call for this bill to come up for a vote!

Legislators’ individual addresses can be found at www.NCleg.gov, click on ‘District Representation’, ‘Find your legislator’, scroll down to “representation by County”, enter your county, click on the names for both office and home mailing addresses.  An in-person visit is always best, but emails and phone calls also count!

Thank you for joining us in this work!

Filed Under: Action Alert, ERA News, Events Tagged With: Equal Rights Amendment, ERA, NCGA, North Carolina

EVENT: MARCH 5th AT THE NCGA

February 20, 2019 by Audrey Muck Leave a Comment

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: ERA 2019
One more state. Not one more genERAtion!

Still fighting for constitutional equalityNorth Carolina has the historic chance to become the 38th and final state required to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and change the U.S. Constitution. The ERA supports families by helping to combat wage inequities, protect pregnant women in the workplace, and protect against domestic violence and sexual assault.

Senator Floyd B. McKissick Jr. and Representative Carla Cunningham will introduce bills to ratify the ERA in both the NC House and Senate on March 5th, and you’re welcome to join us! (If you can’t join us in Raleigh, scroll down for other ways you can participate!)

EVENT: Women’s History Month: ERA 2019

DATE: Tuesday, March 5

TIME: 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

LOCATION: North Carolina General Assembly, 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh, N.C.

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:

  • Advocates to distribute materials to legislators
  • Advocates to serve as a presence in the House and Senate galleries
  • Silent Sentinels in ERA apparel to flank doors of leadership offices and building entrance steps throughout the afternoon.
  • Volunteers to bring signs and fill the lawn and General Assembly.

Join our Facebook event and let us know you’re coming!

Schedule of Events:

  • 12:30 p.m. Advocates gather for instructions on the First Floor in the 1300 quadrant to the left as you enter the NCGA building, Jones Street entrance.
  • 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Press conference in Press Room, 1300 quadrant, to announce filing of ERA bills.
  • 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Advocates distribute ERA materials to legislators and ask them to co-sponsor bills.
  • 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Advocates may seat themselves in the House and Senate galleries. The presence of ERA Advocates will be announced by legislators from the floor in both chambers.

4:00 p.m. Senate expected to convene

4:45 p.m. House expected to convene

 

Additional Details:

Apparel: White apparel with touches of green or ERA-NC Alliance T-shirts are welcome. Remember to wear the sash you created as part of our #SashTag Challenge! And bring extras. A limited number of white ribbons will be available.

Rules of the legislature: www.ncleg.gov/Files/about/buildingrules.pdf

Rules of special note: No signs on sticks allowed. No oversize signs. In the galleries, no signs or food and beverages at all.

Security: Everyone must pass through security at entrances, front and back of building (LB)

Parking, directions and dining information: www.ncleg.gov/About/Visitorinfo

Please share this invitation with everyone you know! See you there.

#SashTag ChallengeCan’t join us at the General Assembly that day? Here’s how you can still take action!

For those not able to make it to the legislature, there is the #Sashtag Challenge, details linked in message. Excerpt from: http://www.facebook.com/events/575772219555843/

     If you can’t make it to Raleigh, post photos of yourself and your sash on March 5, saying “I support equal rights for all. Ratify the ERA!” #SashTag and #ALLforERA

Also, we have petitions listed on the site that can be sent to the NC Speaker of the House, NC Senate President Pro-tempore, and any legislator that represents one of your members.  https//www.era-nc.org/nc-ratification-petition/

And a postcard that can be sent can be found here: Postcard House Parties https://www.era-nc.org/postcards/

Contact info for legislators and leaders is at:

NC House: http://www.ncleg.gov/House

NC Senate: http://www.ncleg.gov/Senate

NC Speaker of the House: Rep. Tim Moore http://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/339

NC Senate President Pro-Tempore: Phil Berger http://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/64

House Rules Chair: http://www.ncleg.gov/Committees/CommitteeInfo/HouseStanding/2

Senate Rules Chair: http://www.ncleg.gov/Committees/CommitteeInfo/SenateStanding/148

Again, we thank you for your support of the ERA!

Filed Under: Action Alert, ERA News, Events

Postcards

February 16, 2019 by Audrey Muck 3 Comments

Use these postcards to stay in contact with your NC state representatives. Host a postcard party with your friends and neighbors! Keep letting them know that North Carolinians want constitutional equality for women and men. 

Our Guide can be used to determine which lawmakers you should contact as a priority and what points you should make: 2019 Postcard and Call Guide

Just in time for Mother’s Day advocacy – Make Mama Happy postcards!
ERA-NC, postcardOur previous postcards are available as a downloadable PDF sheet of four postcards – the front and back sheets are below.

2019 postcard 4-up front

2019 postcard 4-up back

Postcards can be sent to the NC Speaker of the House, NC Senate President Pro-tempore, and any legislator that represents one of your members. 

Here’s where you’ll find contact information for the NCGA leadership:

NC Speaker of the House: Rep. Tim Moore http://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/339

NC Senate President Pro-Tempore: Phil Berger http://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/64

NC House: http://www.ncleg.gov/House

NC Senate: http://www.ncleg.gov/Senate

 

Filed Under: Action Alert

ERA Support in the NCGA

February 8, 2019 by Audrey Muck Leave a Comment

Below is a list of the NC General Assembly Members who have indicated past support for a bill to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (either through past co-sponsorship or positive response to the 2018 ERA-NC Alliance survey of candidates’ positions). The lead sponsors of past ratification bills are noted in bold italics.

Please thank them for their support, and talk with them about ways to expand support for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment among their fellow legislators during the 2019-2020 Legislative Session!

You can also view the responses to our 2018 Candidates Survey here.

Senator/Party/District Representative/Party/District

Sen Erica Smith-Ingram D 3

Sen Terry Van Duyn D 49

Sen Valerie Foushee D 23

Sen Kirk DeViere D 19

Sen Floyd McKissick, Jr D 20

Sen Mike Woodard D 22

Sen Paul Lowe Jr D 32

Sen Mike Woodard D 22

Sen Don Davis D 5

Sen Gladys Robinson D 28

Sen Joyce Waddell D 40

Sen Natasha Marcus D 41

Sen Harper Peterson D 9

Sen Dan Blue D 14

Sen Jay Chaudhuri D 15

Sen Wiley Nickel D 16

Sen Sam Searcy D 17

Rep Edward Goodwin R 1

Rep Deb Butler D 18

Rep Susan Fisher D 114

Rep John Ager D 115

Rep Brian Turner D 116

Rep Graig Meyer D 50

Rep Robert Reives II D 54

Rep Marvin Lucas D 42

Rep William Richardson D 44

Rep Evelyn Terry D 71

Rep Howard Hunter III D 5

Rep Terry Garrison D 32

Rep Ashton Clemmons D 57

Rep Cecil Brockman D 60

Rep Mary Price Harrison D 61

Rep Joe Sam Queen D 119

Rep Chuck McGrady R 117

Rep Garland Pierce D 48

Rep Mary Belk D 88

Rep Chaz Beasley D 92

Rep Christy Clark D 98

Rep Nasif Majeed D 99

Rep John Autry D 100

Rep Carolyn Logan D 101

Rep Becky Carney D 102

Rep Rachel Hunt D 103

Rep Carla Cunningham D 106

Rep Kelly Alexander Jr D 107

Rep Verla Insko D 56

Rep Kandie Smith D 8

Rep Charles Graham D 47

Rep Harry Warren R 76

Rep Allison Dahle D 11

Rep Rosa Gill D 33

Rep Julie von Haefen D 36

Rep Ms. Sydney Batch D 37

Rep Yvonne Lewis Holley D 38

Rep Darren Jackson D 39

Rep Joe John D 40

Rep Gale Adcock D 41

Rep Cynthia Ball D 49

Rep Jean Farmer-Butterfield D 24

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: #ALLforERA, ERA, ERA supporters, NCGA, North Carolina

NC Ratification Petition

February 7, 2019 by Audrey Muck 2 Comments

Going to church, an organization meeting or a big event? Download and circulate our petition to the legislators of North Carolina! The more signatures legislators see from their own constituents, the better!

Petitions can be sent to the NC Speaker of the House, NC Senate President Pro-tempore, and any legislator that represents one of your members.

Please also send a copy of the petitions to Teri Walley, Vice-President, Communications of the ERA-NC Alliance

Here’s where you’ll find contact information for the NCGA leadership: [Read more…] about NC Ratification Petition

Filed Under: Action Alert, Uncategorized Tagged With: Equal Rights Amendment, ERA, North Carolina, petition

Let’s Make History! ERA 2019

January 24, 2019 by Audrey Muck Leave a Comment


North Carolina has a historic chance to be the 38th — and final! — state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Join us as we bring that message to our legislators. We need them to know that North Carolina wants equal rights for all – women and men!

One more state. Not one more genERAtion.
#ALLforERA

Event: Let’s Make History: ERA 2019
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2019
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: North Carolina General Assembly, 16 W. Jones Street, Raleigh, NC

Join our Facebook event and let us know you are coming!
Click here: Let’s Make History: ERA 2019 

Details:
9:30 am – Gather on the 1st floor, in the 1300 quadrant to the left as you enter the building, Jones Street entrance. You’ll receive instructions.

10:00 am – 12:30 pm – We’ll distribute 170 copies of ERA advocacy cards and DVDs to legislators (120 House, 50 Senate).

Colors: Alliance T-shirts or other green and white apparel or lapel ribbons if you are able, but not required.

Security: You must pass through a security check at entrances.

Information about directions, parking and dining at the legislature can be found here: General Information

Please share this invitation widely with your friends, family and acquaintances!

Filed Under: Action Alert, Events Tagged With: #ALLforERA, #OneMoreState, Equal Rights Amendment, ERA-NC, NCGA, North Carolina

County Contact Campaign

December 5, 2018 by Audrey Muck 2 Comments

ERA-NC C3 Map May 20We’re recruiting for our County Contact Campaign!

We know the ERA ratification bills will be re-introduced in the NC General Assembly in 2020, and we want to be sure there’s at least one person in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties to be part of our rapid response team to help us get the word out about it! As a member of the campaign, you’ll contact your county representatives first, to encourage and remind them to sign on to the bills as co-sponsors, and then spread the word to other ERA activists in your county.

To get the ball rolling in your county, please fill out this form:

County Contact Campaign

Filed Under: Action Alert, Uncategorized

FAQ about the ERA

September 27, 2018 by Audrey Muck 1 Comment

The Equal Rights Amendment: Common Legal Questions

Prepared for the ERA-NC Alliance by Winston & Strawn, LLP

Frequently Asked Questions about the ERA1. What does the ERA do, and why is it important?

The U.S. Constitution does not guarantee equal rights for women. According to the late Justice Scalia, “Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn’t.”

The ERA would change that. It would guarantee that “[e]quality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.” It would apply, for example, if the government passes a discriminatory law, or takes female assault victims less seriously than male victims, or imposes a tax
that disadvantages women in particular, or denies female soldiers an equal chance to defend their country and move up in the ranks. The ERA would stand in the way of these and other discriminatory “state actions.”

2. Why is the ERA necessary, in light of the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause?

The Fourteenth Amendment says that no state may “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” The Fifth Amendment applies the same principle to the federal government. But these protections do not apply to sex in the same way they apply to race or national origin.

Today, when a court considers a challenge to a law that discriminates based on sex, it will uphold the law as long as it bears a “substantial relationship” to an “important government purpose.” This is called intermediate scrutiny. The ERA would require strict scrutiny-the same test that applies to discrimination based on race
and national origin. Under that test, the law must be “narrowly tailored” to achieve a “compelling government interest,” and it must be the “least restrictive means” of doing so. This means that the court would strike down the law if the goal behind it is not appropriate and compelling, or if there is a different way to accomplish it.

3. How would the ERA differ from the protections already provided under the law?

There are a variety of local, state, and federal laws that prohibit discrimination. For example, Title VII is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating based on sex, race, color, national origin, or religion. It protects employees who work for corporations over a certain size, as well as federal and state employees. Title IX is a federal law that (with certain exceptions) requires any school that receives federal funds to give students equal opportunities regardless of sex. The ERA addresses discrimination from a different perspective: it would prohibit discrimination by the government, including in statutes, regulations, employment, and law enforcement.

4. What about the deadline for ratification that expired in 1982?

The ERA was ratified by 35 states before the deadline imposed by Congress. Last spring, Nevada became the 36th. In May of 2018 Illinois became the 37th. One more ratification is needed to reach the threshold set by the Constitution.

Congress created the deadline, so it must have the power to remove it-or to extend it (as it did in 1979). The Supreme Court has held that it is up to Congress-not the courts-to decide how to deal with the timing of ratification. [Coleman v. Miller (1939).] A decision to remove the deadline should be analyzed the same way.

5. Didn’t some states “undo” their ratifications? What is the impact of that?

It is true that five of the states that ratified the ERA later passed resolutions attempting to limit or rescind their prior ratifications. But historically, resolutions like these have not prevented the prior ratifications from counting toward the threshold. When the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868, Congress declared it to be effective even though two states had passed resolutions attempting to rescind. The Supreme Court has said that it will not second-guess this kind of determination. [Coleman v. Miller (1939).]

Although one court held in 1981 that a state did have the power to rescind its ratification of the ERA, the Supreme Court vacated that decision after the ERA deadline had passed and the appeal to the Supreme Court had become moot. As of today, then, there is no case law holding that a ratification can be “undone.”

6. So, if 38 states ratify the ERA, what happens next?

Congress can then take action to remove, extend, or waive the earlier deadline. (There is already a proposed bill that would do this.) It could also express a view about the attempts to rescind the ratifications in five states.

7. Opponents of the ERA have said that it would prohibit any distinctions based on sex and would overturn laws that benefit women. Is that true?

No. The government would still be able to draw a distinction based on sex if it passes “strict scrutiny.” But most of the laws that people think of as benefitting women-like social security regulations, estate laws, laws requiring child and spousal support, and so on-are actually already sex-neutral. And for those that are not, legislators would have two years after the ERA is enacted to add broader language-like “spouse” rather than “wife.”

8. Opponents of the ERA say that if it passes, states will lose their power to legislate about family law, sex crime laws, and other laws impacted by gender. Is that true?

No. The ERA will not take any power away from states-except the power to make unnecessary distinctions based on sex.

9. Isn’t this all about changing the law on abortion?

No. The Supreme Court has held that the Constitution already protects the right to abortion. [Roe v. Wade (S.Ct. 1973).] And in North Carolina, ratifying a federal ERA will not change state law at all, so it will not lead to any change in state laws relating to abortion.

10. One anti-ERA organization has said that passing the ERA would require removing gender designations from bathrooms, locker rooms, jails, and hospital rooms. Is that true?

No. There is no reason to think that passing the ERA would have these kinds of effects. Other states, such as Illinois, have had equal rights guarantees in place for decades, and it has not eliminated separate women’s and men’s restrooms.

11. Isn’t it true that adopting the ERA won’t erase the gender wage gap?

Yes. The ERA alone would not erase the wage gap, because it would apply to “the United States and any State,” not to private employers directly. It might stop the government from rolling back anti-discrimination laws, but it will not automatically make them stronger. So in the fight for equality, there will be plenty left to do.

Updated 6/21/18
www.winston.com
© 2018 Winston & Strawn LLP

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Post Office Box 20222
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info@era-nc.org

The ERA-NC Alliance is a non-partisan, non-profit 501c4 organization dedicated to North Carolina’s ratification of an Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

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