VA for the ERA?

1. What changed about Virginia's government in last week's elections?
Democrats took control of both state legislatives, House and Senate. 

2. What would the Equal Rights Amendment proposed in 1972 do?
The ERA is an amendment that guarantees equal rights regardless of sex, and it passed Congress on a bipartisan basis in 1972.

3. How many states ratified the amendment when it was originally proposed?  What states have ratified it recently?

Thirty-five states rapidly ratified it at first, the last being Indiana in 1977, but then its momentum was halted when it became a culture war battleground. It took 40 years for a 36th state — Nevada — to ratify the ERA in 2017, and then Illinois became the 37th state in 2018, and now it's almost Virginia's turn.

4. According to the constitution, why is it necessary to have a 38th state ratify the amendment?An amendment can't be passed unless it has 2/3 majority in Congress and 3/4 majority of the states and currently, 38 states is 3/4 of 50

5. What stipulation for its ratification did Congress add to the proposal in the 1970s?
Once it was sent for state ratification, there was a seven year deadline put on it.

6. How did the Virginia legislature vote on ratification of the ERA last year?  
A House committee refused to take it up, and a Senate panel defeated it 9 to 5. 

7. How can Congress change the ratification deadline from 1982 to now?
The Congressional Research Service did a report and because of the "Madison Amendment" Congress can always change the deadline of an amendment. they could make it many years from now if they wanted.

8. How does the 27th Amendment provide an example that this amendment could be ratified now? 
The now 27th amendment was put on hold for 190 years and then revived by a grassroots movement, which could happen to this amendment as well.