“Sex, race, color and national origin” to be added to the DE state constitution ERA

DELAWARE – Lawmakers are hopeful that the Equal Rights Amendment will pass the house, after unanimously passing in the state senate. If passed the bill would add sex, race, color and national origin to the equal rights clause of Delaware’s Constitution.

Although laws have been in place to give citizens equal rights, it was not specified in the Delaware state constitution according to state legislators.

For a change to be made to a state constitution, the bill has to be passed twice. Since it passed last year, this years passing would make it officially stated in the state constitution.

“I feel very strongly that the new people who have taken seats in the senate and the house will also be supporting this constitutional change,” says Delaware State Representative of the 37th District, Ruth Briggs-King. “It’s just putting it in the constitution which I think gives everybody a bit more feeling that this is the document that cannot be easily changed and is not changed very often either.”

Rep. Briggs-King also adds, this bill will continue to help unify people by making it clear that everyone regardless of sex, race and ethnicity are included in the Delaware state constitution. The Senate Bill 31 will now head to the Delaware House of Representatives for final passage to officially become apart of the constitution.