Yes, cowards, no on the Equal Rights Amendments, it’s 2007, my better half works a full time job, manages the money, pays the bills, does the grocery shopping, laundry, drycleaners and juggles our schedule and time with our grandkids. When I say better half, I mean it. How could any thinking, breathing legislator with even half a brain not vote to let this amendment out of committee. It is a no brainier that women are not equals in many facets of our economy and workforce. Of course, the wing nuts brought out abortion and gay marriage…waving the fear card. Arkansas, 15 years behind and proud of it. 

A resolution to ratify the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution fell one vote short of receiving a House committee’s endorsement Wednesday.

Capping a three-hour hearing that included testimony by ERA opponent Phyllis Schlafly and ERA supporter and former Gov. David Pryor, members of the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee split 10-10 on House Joint Resolution 1002, which needed 11 votes to advance.

The resolution’s sponsor, Rep. Lindsley Smith, D-Fayetteville, said she was disappointed but she hoped to present the measure again.

Even if the resolution were to clear the committee, its chances of passage in the House appeared to have weakened. Shortly before Wednesday’s vote, Rep. Eric Harris, R-Springdale, introduced an amendment to delete the names of 20 of the resolution’s 66 House co-sponsors who no longer wanted their names on the legislation. The committee approved the amendment.

Congress approved the ERA, which would prohibit the denial or abridgment of equal rights on the basis of sex, in 1972. To date, 35 states have ratified the amendment, which requires ratification by 38 states to become part of the Constitution.

Originally, the deadline for ratification was 1979, but Congress later extended the deadline to 1982. Congress could vote to extend the deadline again retroactively if three more states were to ratify the amendment.

Smith said most Americans support the ERA, and that 72 percent believe it is already part of the U.S. Constitution. She said that even if the amendment is not ratified by 38 states, Arkansas has the opportunity to go on record as “being on the right side of the issue.”

Pryor said he voted for the ERA while serving as a U.S. senator in 1972, and as governor of Arkansas he supported ratification.

“Arkansas has a rare opportunity today to once again make a statement, and a strong statement, for the equality of women,” he said.