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Equal Rights Amendment- 2009 Session

    In 2009 Kansas NOW renewed its efforts to obtain an Amendment to the Kansas Constitution guarantying gender equality.  Kanas NOW recognizes that constitutional amendments are very difficult to obtain and this effort may take time.  Kansas NOW believes this Amendment is so fundamentally important to the women of Kansas that Kansas NOW will not rest until it is achieved.

House Concurrent Resolution 5003
Full Text
Sponsor House Bill 2184 was sponsored by Representatives Flaharty, Ballard, Benlon, Carlin, Crow, Davis, Finney, D. Gatewood, Huntington, Long, Mah, McCray-Miller, Neighbor, Quigley, Rardin, Ruiz, Swenson, Trimmer, Ward, Wetta, Winn and K. Wolf Effect of the Bill There is currently no constitutional provision specifically addressing equal rights of men and women. There are laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and wages based on sex. ‘‘A vote for this proposition would amend the Kansas constitution to incorporate into it the prohibition of discrimination based on sex. The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit the state or any of its political or taxing subdivisions from enacting laws discriminating against men or women based on sex. ‘‘A vote against this proposition would not amend the constitution, in which case the current laws would remain unchanged but could be amended by future acts of the legislature or its political or taxing subdivisions or modified by judicial interpretation.’’ Sec. 3. This resolution, if approved by two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Representatives, and two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate shall be entered on the journals, together with the yeas and nays. The secretary of state shall cause this resolution to be published as provided by law and shall cause the proposed amendment to be submitted to the electors of the state at the general election in November in the year 2010. Legislative Action January 22, 2009: The Resolution was introduced as: HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 5003— By Representatives Flaharty, Ballard, Benlon, Carlin, Crow, Davis, Finney, D. Gatewood, Huntington, Long, Mah, McCray-Miller, Neighbor, Quigley, Rardin, Ruiz, Swenson, Trimmer, Ward, Wetta, Winn and K. Wolf A PROPOSITION to amend article 15 of the constitution of the state of Kansas by adding a new section thereto, concerning equal rights for men and women. Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Kansas, two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Representatives and two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate concurring therein: Section 1. The following proposition to amend the constitution of the state of Kansas shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the state for their approval or rejection: Article 15 of the constitution of the state of Kansas is amended by adding a new section thereto to read as follows: ‘‘§ 17. Equal rights. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the state or any of its political or taxing subdivisions on account of sex.’’ Sec. 2. The following statement shall be printed on the ballot with the amendment as a whole: ‘‘Explanatory statement. There is currently no constitutional provision specifically addressing equal rights of men and women. There are laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and wages based on sex. ‘‘A vote for this proposition would amend the Kansas constitution to incorporate into it the prohibition of discrimination based on sex. The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit the state or any of its political or taxing subdivisions from enacting laws discriminating against men or women based on sex. ‘‘A vote against this proposition would not amend the constitution, in which case the current laws would remain unchanged but could be amended by future acts of the legislature or its political or taxing subdivisions or modified by judicial interpretation.’’ Sec. 3. This resolution, if approved by two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Representatives, and two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate shall be entered on the journals, together with the yeas and nays. The secretary of state shall cause this resolution to be published as provided by law and shall cause the proposed amendment to be submitted to the electors of the state at the general election in November in the year 2010. January 22, 2009 - Journal of the House January 23, 2009: HCR 5003 was assigned to the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. January 23, 2009 - Journal of the House. No further action was taken during the 2009 session.http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-journals/filenameSearch.do?filename=/2009/hj0122.pdfhttp://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-journals/filenameSearch.do?filename=/2009/hj0122.pdfhttp://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-journals/filenameSearch.do?filename=/2009/hj0123.pdfshapeimage_13_link_0shapeimage_13_link_1shapeimage_13_link_2
Senate Concurrent Resolution 1608
Full Text
Sponsor Senate Concurrent Resolution 1608 was sponsored by the Committee on Federal and State Affairs Effect of the Bill There is currently no constitutional provision specifically addressing equal rights of men and women. There are laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and wages based on sex. ‘‘A vote for this proposition would amend the Kansas constitution to incorporate into it the prohibition of discrimination based on sex. The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit the state or any of its political or taxing subdivisions from enacting laws discriminating against men or women based on sex. ‘‘A vote against this proposition would not amend the constitution, in which case the current laws would remain unchanged but could be amended by future acts of the legislature or its political or taxing subdivisions or modified by judicial interpretation.’’ Sec. 3. This resolution, if approved by two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Representatives, and two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate shall be entered on the journals, together with the yeas and nays. The secretary of state shall cause this resolution to be published as provided by law and shall cause the proposed amendment to be submitted to the electors of the state at the general election in November in the year 2010. Legislative Action February 3, 2009: The Resolution was introduced as: SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 1608— By Committee on Federal and State Affairs A PROPOSITION to amend article 15 of the constitution of the state of Kansas by adding a new section thereto, concerning equal rights for men and women. Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Kansas, two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Representatives and two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate concurring therein: Section 1. The following proposition to amend the constitution of the state of Kansas shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the state for their approval or rejection: Article 15 of the constitution of the state of Kansas is amended by adding a new section thereto to read as follows: ‘‘§ 17. Equal rights. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the state or any of its political or taxing subdivisions on account of sex.’’ Sec. 2. The following statement shall be printed on the ballot with the amendment as a whole: ‘‘Explanatory statement. There is currently no constitutional provision specifically addressing equal rights of men and women. There are laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and wages based on sex. ‘‘A vote for this proposition would amend the Kansas constitution to incorporate into it the prohibition of discrimination based on sex. The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit the state or any of its political or taxing subdivisions from enacting laws discriminating against men or women based on sex. ‘‘A vote against this proposition would not amend the constitution, in which case the current laws would remain unchanged but could be amended by future acts of the legislature or its political or taxing subdivisions or modified by judicial interpretation.’’ Sec. 3. This resolution, if approved by two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the House of Representatives, and two-thirds of the members elected (or appointed) and qualified to the Senate shall be entered on the journals, together with the yeas and nays. The secretary of state shall cause this resolution to be published as provided by law and shall cause the proposed amendment to be submitted to the electors of the state at the general election in November in the year 2010. February 3, 2009 - JOURNAL OF THE SENATE February 4, 2009: SCR 1608 was assigned to the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee. February 24, 2009: A hearing was conducted by the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee. No further action was taken during the 2009 session.http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-journals/filenameSearch.do?filename=/2009/sj0203.pdfhttp://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-journals/filenameSearch.do?filename=/2009/sj0203.pdfshapeimage_16_link_0shapeimage_16_link_1