During its 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago, the ABA House of Delegates adopted a resolution sponsored by the Commission on Women in the Profession, and co-sponsored by the ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, the ABA International Law Section, the ABA Center for Human Rights, and the New York City Bar Association, urging implementation of the Equal Rights Amendments (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution.
October 23, 2024 CWP News
ABA Sponsors Resolution Supporting ERA Implementation
Implementation was urged following two legal principles: (1) a deadline for ratification of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is not consistent with Article V of the Constitution and (2) under Article V, states are not permitted to rescind prior ratifications.
The resolution also urges support of ERA implementation by the legal community and all federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments.
At the House of Delegates meeting, Commission Chair Karol Corbin Walker introduced the measure as the principal sponsor of the resolution. She was followed by then ABA President Mary Smith. The third speaker was ERA champion Linda Coberly, chair of the ERA Coalition’s Legal Task Force and co-chair of the Litigation Department at Winston & Strawn LLP. Joe Raia of the ABA International Law Section was the fourth speaker, adding a global perspective. Over 35 additional members of the House of Delegates, including many former ABA presidents, signaled their support through submission of salmon slips in favor of the resolution.
A video of the House proceedings can be found at https://www.americanbar.org/news/reporter_resources/annual-meeting-2024/house-of-delegates-resolutions/601.
The resolution and report can be found at https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/women/2024/res-601-adopted.pdf.