Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar


Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives


Previous Post: Question of the day
Next Post: Senate passes budget bills by pretty amazing margins

Equal Rights Amendment passes with help from Durkin

Posted in:

By Hannah Meisel

* In a surprising move, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) helped give the Equal Rights Amendment the extra boost needed to pass the House. Durkin is a pro-life Catholic, and one of the loudest arguments against the ERA is it will open the door for more abortions.

Earlier today Rep. Silvana Tabares (D-Chicago) had an excused absence, and everyone I asked had no idea what was going to happen with the Equal Rights Amendment. Then just before 6 p.m., Lou Lang introduced the ERA. If you heard psychotic clacking down the hallway in the Capitol basement, that was me running for the elevator. Two hours of debate later, it passed. Here’s the roll call. Watch video of the board during the vote here.

* GOP votes for the bill…

Steve Andersson
Dan Brady
Jim Durkin
David Harris
Chad Hays
David Olsen
Bob Pritchard
Grant Wehrli
David Welter
Christine Winger

* Dem votes against the bill…

Rita Mayfield
Mary Flowers
Natalie Phelps Finnie
Jerry Costello
Monica Bristow

* Notable moments from the debate…

.@ChrisWelch_JD: "We have a president who, if he could gut the Civil Rights Amendment of 1965, he would do it and do it now…I would rather rely on our U.S. Constitution than a law Donald Trump can [disassemble]. A man who hates women! He has no respect for women."

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 31, 2018

.@Andersson4Rep from earlier: "I want to empower [women] because the better they are, the better we are as a people. And they are fully up to the challenge. They don’t need my help, my protection.” He's a GOP yes vote on the ERA. But also not running for his seat again.

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 30, 2018

.@RepTerriBryant (R-Murphysboro): "We can stand up for our own rights, ladies.
My whole life I haven’t needed the Equal Rights Amendment because by God nobody’s going to take my rights from me. Stand up for your rights. We don’t need something on a piece of paper."

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 31, 2018

It's been a lively debate so far. Choice quotes…@JeanneIves: "Women will not be protected until men decide to protect them and decide to stop the sexual harassment, decide to stop domestic abuse…what we need is great men to stand up and protect women. and this body knows it."

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 30, 2018


Everyone acknowledges that if Illinois’ passage of the ERA triggers another state to do the same, this will end up in a legal battle over whether the ratification deadline (originally 1979 and then pushed to 1982) is truly dead. Also other states have attempted to rescind their ratification votes.

* More background

Illinois House passed resolution to ratify #ERA in 2004. Senate didn't. Senate passed in 2014. House didn't. The debate happening now illustrates part of why it's been so contentious. Here's a timeline I put together for some more context: #SJRCA4 pic.twitter.com/oiV2rO3dYs

— Rachel Otwell (@MsOtwell) May 31, 2018


posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 8:24 pm

Comments

  1. “We don’t need something on a piece of paper.”

    So that Bill of Rights…. extraneous?

    That 19th Amendment certainly has come in handy, I would think.

    Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 8:30 pm

  2. Congrats to all who worked so hard in the past and now. If it wasn’t for courageous effort, how many rights would be recognized and legally enshrined? Civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights—none of those have been just granted by those in power. They have to be fought for.

    Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 8:41 pm

  3. Mary Flowers, what the what?

    Comment by Amalia Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 8:54 pm

  4. I am not sure which react I crave more: Dan Proft, Jeanne Ives or Peter Breen.

    I guess we know now whether Rauner is actually for the ERA.

    Comment by Thomas Paine Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 8:59 pm

  5. Thank you.

    Comment by walker Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:07 pm

  6. love seeing a tweet with the name Otwell on it. I’m thinking she’s related to Janet Otwell, who was the President of the League of Women Voters of Illinois and who fought hard for the ERA back in the day.

    Comment by Amalia Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:13 pm

  7. Hearing Etta James in my head.

    So long in coming, still so right.

    Comment by walker Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:13 pm

  8. Rich, good to note Durkin’s leadership. He’s a fundamentally decent man.

    Comment by walker Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:20 pm

  9. What’s with Rita Mayfield and Mary Flowers voting no?

    I have a lot of respect for Steve Andersson. Wish he was staying.

    Comment by A Young Person Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:29 pm

  10. Interesting that Winger was only GOP woman to vote yes and all but 1 of the Dem no votes cake from women. No clue what any of that means but I’m sculpting something out of mashed potatoes anyway https://goo.gl/images/tvPcun

    Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:35 pm

  11. Thanks Rep. Durkin for the bold votes during this session. I am not always a fan but must admit I find this movement towards the middle to be rather appealing. You might get my vote, once again, after all.

    Comment by Soothsayer Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:37 pm

  12. Don’t get why any Dem voted against this.

    Not optimistic this will ever actually result in meaningful legal protections for women but still glad it passed.

    Too bad Illinois couldn’t have got this right in the ’70s when it mattered so much more. I suppose it’s weird holding a grudge against a political figure for actions from before I was born but even after she’s gone I still hold one for Phyllis Schlafly.

    Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 9:42 pm

  13. Inspiring reminder that the Baby Boomers will force us to fight their pointless battles and relitigate their adolescence forever and ever and ever.

    Comment by LakeviewJ Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 10:15 pm

  14. I am assuming Tabares made it back from her excused absence since she was recorded as a “yes” vote on a number of bills today including SJRCA4.

    Comment by Absence Wednesday, May 30, 18 @ 10:50 pm

  15. “It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. ”
    Susan B. Anthony, 1873

    Comment by Amalia Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 12:01 am

  16. ==We don’t need something on a piece of paper==
    Terri Bryant is married. Why didn’t she just shack up with her spouse instead of getting married. It’s just a piece of paper.

    Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 6:10 am

  17. ==Mary Flowers, what the what?==

    Mary Flowers seems to think black women would somehow not be protected by the ERA.
    “When the women finally got their right to vote, black women did not get our rights,” said Rep. Mary Flowers, a Chicago Democrat. “You want to say something (the ERA language) written in 1923 is going to protect me?”
    I don’t get the logic, but I didn’t get the ERA promotes abortion argument either, so perhaps I’m a little dense.

    Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 9:15 am

  18. Did she call the constitution a piece of paper?

    Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 9:18 am

  19. “We don’t need something on a piece of paper.”

    What a strange thing for a lawmaker to say. Putting stuff on paper is what you do.

    It’s nice that the Bill of Rights was committed to paper, in case you need to reference them.

    I imagine Rep. Murphy thinks putting the 19th Amendment in writing was pretty nifty.

    Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 9:23 am

  20. Steve Andersson
    Dan Brady
    Jim Durkin
    David Harris
    Chad Hays
    David Olsen
    Bob Pritchard
    Grant Wehrli
    David Welter
    Christine Winger

    Heroes.

    As a Republican, I thank you all for showing leadership and your vote matters, not just because of its inclusion made the passage possible, your vote mattered because of doing what is right.

    Oswego Willy.

    To the Chamber, the leadership to the amendment, the caucuses… all,

    I was proud of a chamber being thoughtful, to process and to subject, and showing Illinois how governing happens when the importance of the moment demanded that professionalism.

    So proud.

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 10:13 am

  21. ==Inspiring reminder that the Baby Boomers will force us to fight their pointless battles and relitigate their adolescence forever and ever and ever.==

    Ya know, all battles are pointless when you are content to live in a cave, wear leaves, and eat raw meat. Then some jerk has to discover how to make fire and ruin everything.

    Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 10:37 am

  22. Did not the time limit expire in 1979?

    If so, what is this all about?

    Comment by nonBeliever Thursday, May 31, 18 @ 12:12 pm

Add a comment

Sorry, comments are closed at this time.

Previous Post: Question of the day
Next Post: Senate passes budget bills by pretty amazing margins


Last 10 posts:

more Posts (Archives)

WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.

powered by WordPress.