2026 Current Status- ACTION MODE – Elect Equality, and have congress affirm the ERA
- House Joint Resolution 80 has been introduced, and a co-sponsor campaign has begun. Senate companion is stalled, so we are focusing on the 2027 NEW Congress. See toolkit to ask your candidates to pledge to support the ERA.
- Lawsuits – Two citing the ERA as the 28th Amendment are moving thru courts.
- Collaborative National campaign, to get a MILLION signatures in support of Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s Sign 4 ERA political strategy at www.sign4ERA.org website. Encourage interested folks to sign on to get on the list. Actions will be sent to signers based on their congressional district. (learn about ERA-NOW and the plan at www.ERA-NOW.org
For those who want to dive deep: Updated legal summary of the current impasse the ERA is in:
Zonta USA is a Member of the ERA Coalition
Explore the Coalition Website for Resources and Up to date information
2026- ERA’s Legal status: Here’s why we know it is the 28th Amendment – from Constitutional Scholars
ERA Coalition Member: Roberta W. Francis ERA Education Consultant, Alice Paul Center for Gender Justice Founding Chair, ERA Task Force, National Council of Women’s Organizations www.equalrightsamendment.org/faq Has prepared a Fact Sheet and Executive Summary that is quite helpful.
We know the ERA will now go to the courts. With the statement of affirmation by President Biden, it is believed the ERA will have stronger standing. We will have to watch this play out, and keep on educating our communities about the importance of the ERA, and how it would protect rights based on gender and sex. Read more
Take Action: –
USE the Zonta USA Tools to advocate for Electing Equality, and putting the ERA on the first 100 Day Agenda
Take ActionStatus of the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
The Equal Rights Amendment is valid as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The Equal Rights Amendment is valid as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The Equal Rights Amendment has satisfied all requirements set forth in Article V of the Constitution to be added as the 28th Amendment. The ERA was passed through Congress with well over the required 2/3 majority vote and sent to the states in 1972. On January 27, 2020, Virginia voted to become the 38th and last needed- state to meet the 3/4 state ratification requirement. According to Section 3 of the Equal Rights Amendment, which stipulates a two-year waiting period from the date of ratification, the ERA is now officially in effect.
Enforcing the Equal Rights Amendment
The 28th Amendment will immediately be used to:
- Provide a stronger constitutional basis for prohibiting sex discrimination in the Courts.
- Provide Congress more authority to pass legislation to enact laws to ensure sex equality.
- Require states to update their state statutes and administrative code for compliance with the 28th Amendment.
Continued Clarification Efforts
Although the efforts to clarify the 28th Amendment’s validity are not necessary, they are being pursued to remove any ambiguity as to the status of its ratification.
Concerns about the Amendment’s ratification are being raised because of the 7-year time limit in its preamble and the fact that 5 states have attempted to rescind their prior ratifications. As a result of an OLC memo issued under the previous Trump Administration in anticipation of Virginia’s ratification, the Amendment has yet to be published by the Archivist.










