Compare versions

--- version:Edition 1
+++ version:Filed
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
 SESSION 2025
-H 1
-HOUSE BILL 500
+H D
+HOUSE BILL DRH40253-LR-68A
 
 Short Title: NC Adopt ERA. (Public)
-Sponsors: Representatives von Haefen, Cunningham, Price, and Prather (Primary
-Sponsors).
-For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
-Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
-March 26, 2025
-*H500-v-1*
+Sponsors: Representative von Haefen.
+Referred to:
+
+*DRH40253-LR-68A*
 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
 AN ACT TO RATIFY THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF 2
 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 3
@@ -22,7 +20,7 @@
 both houses, by a constitutional majority of two-thirds thereof, adopted the following proposition 10
 to amend the Constitution of the United States of America in the following words, to wit: 11
 "JOINT RESOLUTION 12
-"Resolved by the Senate and Hous e of Representatives of the United States of America in 13
+"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 13
 Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is 14
 proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 15
 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths 16
@@ -39,13 +37,16 @@
 January 27, 2020, Virginia became the 38th of the 50, or three-fourths, of the States to ratify this 27
 federal Equal Rights Amendment; and 28
 Whereas, in its distinct role as one of the original thirteen States, North Carolina 29
-participated in the 1787 federal Constitutio nal Convention and helped draft the precise text of 30
-the federal Constitution, including Article V which preserves States' rights to amend the 31
+participated in the 1787 federal Constitutional Convention and helped draft the precise text of 30
+the federal Constitution, including Article V which preserves States ' rights to amend the 31
 document; and 32
 Whereas, a demand for amendments to the federal Constitution in order to recognize 33
 individual rights is part of the patriotic heritage of the State of North Carolina; and 34
+H.B. 500
+Mar 24, 2025
+HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
-Page 2  House Bill 500-First Edition
+Page 2  DRH40253-LR-68A
 Whereas, James Madison and other leaders made clear to the state ratifying 1
 conventions for the federal Constitution that ratification cannot be conditioned on amendments 2
 and, once made, a ratification is final and cannot be rescinded; and 3
@@ -59,12 +60,12 @@
 when he drafted amendments preserving individual and States' rights; and 11
 Whereas, those proposed twelve amendments were approved by the new Congress in 12
 September of 1789; and 13
-Whereas, aft er those amendments were sent to the States for ratification, North 14
+Whereas, after those amendments were sent to the States for ratification, North 14
 Carolina ratified the federal Constitution at its second state ratifying convention in Fayetteville 15
 in November of 1789; and 16
 Whereas, in December of 1789, North Carolina ratified all twelve of the amendments 17
 proposed by Congress; and 18
-Whereas, because of North Carolina's initial refusal to ratify a federal Constitution 19
+Whereas, because of North Carolina 's initial refusal to ratify a federal Constitution 19
 without a bill of rights, we have our first ten amendments protecting individual rights at the 20
 national level; and 21
 Whereas, another one of the twelve amendments ratified by North Carolina in 22
@@ -73,35 +74,35 @@
 Whereas, that amendment, known as the Congressional Pay Amendment, is our 27th 25
 Amendment, because Article V of the federal Constitution does not limit the time for States to 26
 ratify an amendment; and 27
-Whereas, adding a ratification time limit is itself an amendment to the Cons titution 28
+Whereas, adding a ratification time limit is itself an amendment to the Constitution 28
 and must be included within the text of an amendment in order to have effect; and 29
 Whereas, the seven -year ratification time frame included in the internal resolution 30
 Congress used to vote on the proposed Equal Rights Amendment is outside the text of the 31
 amendment and without legal effect; and 32
-Whereas, having been fully -ratified by three -fourths of the States as of January 27, 33
+Whereas, having been fully -ratified by three-fourths of the States as of January 27, 33
 2020, and with those ratifications as final and irrevocable under law, the Equal Rights 34
 Amendment is now our 28th Amendment to the federal Constitution, despite a failure to date of 35
 the federal government to comply with 1 United States Code 106b requiring official recognition 36
 of this constitutional act of the States; and 37
-Whereas, North Carolina's own history has shown that a co nstitutional ratification is 38
+Whereas, North Carolina's own history has shown that a constitutional ratification is 38
 an important statement of States' rights at any time, as exemplified by the State's ratification of 39
 the 19th Amendment on May 6, 1971, 51 years after its ratification; and 40
 Whereas, unlike other State constitutions, the North Carolina State Constitution does 41
 not include equal protection against sex discrimination; and 42
 Whereas, in a 2020 poll by the Pew Research Center, about eight in ten Americans 43
-(78%) said they favored the federal Equal Rights Amendment, including majorities of  men and 44
+(78%) said they favored the federal Equal Rights Amendment, including majorities of men and 44
 women and Democrats and Republicans alike; and 45
 Whereas, bipartisan support for the Equal Rights Amendment has continued to rise in 46
 North Carolina, with a 2023 Meredith Poll showing an increase of more than four percent of 47
-voters in support (to 71. 5%), and opposition falling by more than three percent (to just 13.5%) 48
+voters in support (to 71.5%), and opposition falling by more than three percent (to just 13.5%) 48
 compared to a 2019 poll; and 49
 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
-House Bill 500-First Edition  Page 3
+DRH40253-LR-68A  Page 3
 Whereas, the federal Equal Rights Amendment is a foundational constitutional 1
-guarantee in North Carolina and nationally, since it affirms that constitutiona l rights are held 2
+guarantee in North Carolina and nationally, since it affirms that constitutional rights are held 2
 equally by all persons regardless of sex; and 3
 Whereas, a recognition of individual rights, including equality of rights under the 4
-federal Constitution, is an essential addition to North Carolina's patriotic heritage; Now, 5
+federal Constitution, is an essential addition to North Carolina 's patriotic heritage; Now, 5
 therefore, 6
 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
 SECTION 1.  The General Assembly of North Carolina hereby ratifies and affirms 8