States sue to demand ratification of Equal Rights Amendment

The attorneys general of Illinois, Virginia and Nevada filed a lawsuit Thursday demanding the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

The lawsuit, filed against the archivist of the United States in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said the ERA should be ratified after Virginia became the 38th state to approve it earlier this month, despite the Justice Department issuing guidance that says the deadline for ratification has long since passed.

The vote in Richmond in support of the ERA crossed the threshold necessary for it to be added to the U.S. Constitution and set the stage for a constitutional convention.