Rep. Mike Freiberg
Press Release
Minnesota House of Representatives
District 45B (651) 296-4176 – rep.mike.freiberg@house.mn
509 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Nathaniel Leonard (651) 297-8203
January 24, 2019
Equal Rights Amendments Pass the House Government Operations Committee
St. Paul, MN – Chair Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden Valley) and the House Government Operations Committee heard and passed HF 13 and HF 71, two bills relating to the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). HF 13, authored by Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein (DFL-New Brighton), proposes a constitutional amendment to add the ERA to the Minnesota Constitution. HF 71, authored by Rep. Rena Moran (DFL-St.Paul), is a resolution asking Congress to extend the deadline for ratification of the ERA to the US Constitution.
“It’s long past time that these bills are heard,” said Chair Freiberg. “Enacting the ERA for this state and for this country is unfinished business, and I’m happy the Government Operations Committee was able to put its stamp of approval on both of these bills.”
Having been previously introduced in the 2018 legislative session, the ERA bills gained no ground in last session’s GOP-controlled Minnesota House. As a potential amendment to the Minnesota Constitution, the ERA would need to be approved by public referendum during the next election year. The most recent ratification extension date for amending the US Constitution with the ERA was June 30, 1982.
Both bills were voted out of committee. HF 13 was referred to Ways and Means, and HF 71 was referred to the General Register.