(Your FL ERA Inc. is flooding with new supporters--hard to even keep track now. Thinking of going national since we have throngs now of outtastaters, people working just for us! We have a new FaceBook page, with blog tba.)

!!! BREAKING NEWS in ILLINOIS, ARKANSAS, and MISSOURI as well as FLORIDA !!!

HOT NEWS from Leaders in those states as of today~~~~~~~~ February 10, 2009

Illinois. Emily Battin tells us that their Equal Rights Amendment bill is filed in the IL House and waiting for a Hearing. Has in the past already heard once on the floor, so they feel they have the votes. IL Rep. Lou Lang whom we once featured at a St. Petersburg event, has been leading the Equal Rights Amendment charge for about 15 years, a true-blue stalwart. The former Senate president is out of the picture now, so the vision may change in the Senate too. To pass Equal Rights Amendment, Illinois uniquely needs a 3/5 vote. But they have a lot more sympaticos among legislative leadership there than we do here.

Missouri. Shirley Breeze and Mary Mosley say that their Senate bill was heard last week but since they only had 24 hours notice of the hearing, they had but two giving testimony for Equal Rights Amendment. Somehow Daffy Schlafly was able to get a throng who whipped their legislators into a frenzy about pregnant men and stem cell research, so no vote was taken. Bill was tabled. But they are hoping for a hearing in a couple of weeks in the House. They have filed bills contiuously since 1982.

Arkansas (saved the best until last). Berta Seitz says that they are encouraged wherever they go as the powerbase has switched in Arkansas. Leadership is pro-Equal Rights Amendment (unlike Florida where we are uphill against staunch opposition especially from the newest of the string of House Speakers every two years. When she spoke before a political meeting today, she was delighted to gain several bill cosponsors and letter-signers. They will know more after 2/10 about when their Senate and House hearings will be held. Arkansas has an independent council which assigns and agendas bill hearings, unlike Florida which relies on the Sen. President and Speaker of the House. They actually get appointments with legislators whether they are for or against the Equal Rights Amendment, too!

These states seem to interact in less partisan, more democratic ways with interested citizens. Our friends in these other states are questioning the legality of Florida putting our Equal Rights Amendment through so many committees, and not hearing our bill despite so many cosponsors, and requiring each bill to be heard in the House before it can be heard in the Senate. They mentioned going to the Attorney General to ask about these processes; theirs is sympatico, ours may not be.