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Equal Rights Amendment Chronology
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| Note: This chronology of Florida’s Equal Rights Amendment is an excerpt from a St. Petersburg Times article published Jan. 2, 2003 (www.sptimes.com/2003/01/02/State/ERA_activists_undaunt.shtml). |
1972: Two days after the Equal Rights Amendment is sent to states, the Florida House votes 91-4 to ratify it, but the Equal Rights Amendment was not brought before the Senate because some supporters believed the Legislature could not legally ratify it before another election.
1974: The House votes 64-54 against ratification.
1974: In its first test on the Senate floor, the Equal Rights Amendment fails 21-19.
1975: The House approves the Equal Rights Amendment 61-58, but the Senate rejects it 21-17. Two senators, Republicans Jim Glisson of Tavares and William Zinkel of Fort Lauderdale, switch sides and vote against ratification.
1977: Even though proponents believed the 1977 elections had given them a majority in the Senate, the Equal Rights Amendment fails 21-19. Those voting against the amendment included four earlier Equal Rights Amendment supporters, Democrats Philip D. Lewis of West Palm Beach, Ralph Poston of Miami and Alan Transk of Winter Haven and Republican Henry Sayler of St. Petersburg.
1978: The Equal Rights Amendment is resoundingly defeated by Florida voters who overturned a proposal to add it to the state's Constitution. Although 57 percent voted no, the Equal Rights Amendment supporters once again believed they had elected a majority in the Senate by ousting Poston and Zinkel.
1979: The House votes to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment 64-52, but the measure fails again in the Senate 21-19, after Democrats Guy Spicola of Tampa and Pete Skinner of Lake City switch sides.
1982: Even though the Equal Rights Amendment supporters know they do not have the votes in the Senate, they bring the measure up one last time. The House approves it 60-58, but the Senate turns it down again, 22-16. Republican Rep. Tom Lewis of North Palm Beach switched sides to vote against the amendment.
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| Equal Rights Alliance, P.O. Box 59023, N. Redington Beach, Florida 33708 - [email protected] |
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