North Dakota moves to nullify its 1975 Equal Rights support

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s male-dominated Legislature is considering a resolution to nullify its 1975 support of the Equal Rights Amendment.

It’s a move seen as offsetting revived efforts nationally to enshrine the nearly half-century-old measure in the U.S. Constitution.

The resolution is sponsored by seven male Republican lawmakers. It says Congress’ deadline for ratification of the gender-equality amendment passed 40 years ago and is no longer valid.

The resolution already has passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.

If the resolution is approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature, North Dakota would join Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee and South Dakota as states that ratified the amendment and later withdrew their support.

But North Dakota is believed to be the first state to seek to withdraw its ratification since the 1970s.