Virginia finalizes passage of Equal Rights Amendment, setting stage for legal fight

RICHMOND — Virginia's legislature finalized passage of the Equal Rights Amendment on Monday, with women presiding in both the Senate and House of Delegates for the historic votes.

Virginia becomes the 38th — and potentially final — state to ratify the amendment guaranteeing equal protection for women, setting the stage for a legal fight over whether too much time has passed to add it to the U.S. Constitution.

“We have waited over 400 years, and now is our time,” Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) said at a news conference Monday morning ahead of the vote.

Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D), who usually presides in the Senate, stepped aside so that Lucas could wield the gavel for the midafternoon vote in that chamber, which was 27 to 12, with all Democrats and six Republicans in favor. Lucas is both the first woman and first African American to serve as president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-expected-to-finalize-passage-of-era-monday-setting-stage-for-legal-fight/2020/01/27/b178265c-4121-11ea-b503-2b077c436617_story.html