Coalition and legislators kick off campaign to pass Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment
Minnesotans for Equal Rights unites 35+ organizations to put equality in the state constitution and let voters decide
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Leaders from more than 35 organizations joined the Senate and House authors of the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) at the State Capitol today to kick off the Minnesotans for Equal Rights campaign, a statewide movement to pass the ERA through the Legislature and let Minnesota voters decide.
The proposed Minnesota ERA would protect Minnesotans from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, and sex, including pregnancy, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. If passed by the Legislature, the amendment would go before Minnesota voters in 2028.
“Minnesotans confirmed this election cycle that every one of us deserves equal protection, dignity, and the freedom to live without discrimination and that they want to be a partner in the decision making - 60% say legislators should put the ERA on the ballot," said Sen. Mary Kunesh (DFL–New Brighton), Senate chief author of the Minnesota ERA. “The Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment will make those principles clear in our constitution, ensuring protection for all Minnesotans for generations to come. I am proud to bring this amendment forward once again and work in coalition with my Senate caucus, the House of Representatives, and so many stakeholders.”
“Minnesotans are ready and waiting for us to pass the Equal Rights Amendment; it is time," said Rep. Leigh Finke (DFL-Saint Paul), House ERA author. “By passing the ERA and getting it on the 2028 ballot, we empower our neighbors to stand for the civil liberties of all Minnesotans. The ERA is a statement of the values Minnesotans have shown these past years: that all of us deserve dignity and equal protection under the law.”
The ERA has never been closer to passing. Both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature have approved versions of the amendment, with the Senate passing it with bipartisan support in 2023 and the House passing a stronger version in 2024. Now, the coalition is focused on finishing the job.
“When our neighbors are under attack, Minnesotans show up for each other,” said Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice and Gender Justice Action, which serves as the coalition’s organizational home. “This coalition is proof of that, and the Equal Rights Amendment writes that spirit into our constitution. It’s time for the Legislature to finish the job and let the people decide.”
“As a member of the Minnesotans for Equal Rights coalition, the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota is a passionate advocate for the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment,” said Gloria Perez, president and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. “Like us, the ERA is a community-led solution to long-standing inequities. Let’s pass the Minnesota ERA bill this year, and address the gaps that fail to protect too many Minnesotans under state law.”
“Religious freedom has strong protections in the Minnesota Constitution,” said Rev. Oby Ballinger, founder of Prism Organizing Network. “We want every Minnesotan to have that same strong protection, no matter their race, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, or sex, including pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.”
“The Minnesota ERA is the anti-discrimination bill,” said Betty Folliard, founder of ERA Minnesota. “It will create a clear framework for equal pay enforcement, enhance pregnancy discrimination protections and provide civil remedies for survivors of sexualized violence, while protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people, people of color and folks with disabilities.”
“Our fundamental rights have never been more important,” said Deepinder Singh Mayell, Executive Director of the ACLU of Minnesota. “Minnesota has an opportunity to make equality a constitutional guarantee, not something that can be watered down by a future legislature.”
“It’s time to put our values front and center and join together, in solidarity to put Equal Rights for All in our Minnesota Constitution,” said Bernie Burnham, president of Minnesota AFL-CIO.
The coalition will rally at the State Capitol on Monday, Jan. 25, to call on legislators to pass the ERA in the 2027 session.
Learn more at minnesotansforequalrights.org.
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Minnesotans for Equal Rights (MN4ER) is a coalition of cross-sector organizations from labor, faith, immigration, disability justice, racial equity, LGBTQ equity, reproductive freedom movement, and more.
Gender Justice is a legal and policy advocacy organization dedicated to advancing gender equity through the law. Our vision is a world where people of all genders, gender identities and expressions, and sexual orientations have the opportunity to thrive. We work toward our vision through impact litigation, advocacy, movement building, and public education.