We have received the following action alert on the ERA in New York State:

NYS Senate to Vote on Equal Rights Amendment to NY Constitution

Urgent! WE NEED YOU to take action immediately!

Today, we at NOW-NYS learned that, in a few days, Senate Bill #3489 (the NYS Equal Rights Amendment) is coming up for a vote on the NYS Senate floor. The legislation “provides that no person shall, because of sex, be subjected to any discrimination in his or her civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the State.” In short, the bill bans gender-based civil rights discrimination.

For the past four years, I, as NOW-NYS President, have been lobbying for this measure. Now, there’s a very real chance to make it happen. But we need to get out the vote for this bill.

Once the bill passes the Senate, it will then go to the NYS Assembly, where it will be up to Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein (D), to allow this legislation onto the floor.

However, this is not an ordinary bill but a Constitutional Amendment, whose passage in New York is a multi-step and multi-year process wherein: 1) the Legislature introduces a bill, 2) the Attorney General approves the bill, 3) the Senate and Assembly must pass the bill by a majority before the end of a two-year legislative session.

Then: 4) after the election, at the start of the next two-year legislative session, the Constitutional Amendment must age for three months before the Legislature can vote on it ONCE AGAIN. And: 5) assuming legislative passage, the Amendment must finally be approved by the voters.

So this is the very first step in getting our NYS Equal Rights Amendment. But an important step it is! And to get this very big ball rolling WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Take Action now by contacting your Senator. Urge her or him to vote for Senate Bill #3489. It’s time for New York State to make sure women are protected by the New York State Constitution!

NOW-NYS President Marcia Pappas [Info@nownys.org]