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AJR 97

Relating to: proclaiming October 2025 as Careers in Construction Month.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Scott Allen and 22 co-sponsors

Urges Congress to pass the Equal Rights Amendment to guarantee sex equality as a fundamental constitutional principle.

Representative Sheehan added as a coauthor
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Bill Summary · AJR 97

AJR 97 (Introduced February 1, 2024) — Summary

Overview

AJR 97 is a New Jersey joint resolution (memorialization) that urges the United States Congress to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as reintroduced by a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators. The resolution frames ERA passage as a reaffirmation of the nation’s commitment to equal rights for women and to enshrining sex equality as a fundamental constitutional principle.

What the bill would do

  • Urge passage of the ERA in Congress, specifically the ERA reintroduced by Senators Bob Menendez, Cory Booker, Sherrod Brown, Ben Cardin, Chris Coons, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Ed Markey.
  • Require that copies of the resolution, filed with the Secretary of State, be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the General Assembly to every member of New Jersey’s congressional delegation.
  • Take effect immediately as a memorialization of the Legislature’s position.

Key provisions and language

  • The resolution mirrors the ERA’s core constitutional text as described in the introduced version: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
  • It recounts the ERA’s historical context, including its original introduction in 1923 (Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman), ratification efforts in the 1970s, deadlines (1979 and then 1982), and subsequent reintroduction in Congress.
  • It identifies the ERA as a proposed amendment intended to establish sex equality as a fundamental U.S. constitutional principle.

Background context included in the bill

  • Historical milestones presented in the text: ERA introduced in 1923; Congress passed ERA in 1972 and sent it to the states with deadlines (1979, extended to 1982); several states rescinded ratifications; no further ratifications occurred by the deadline; ERA has repeatedly been reintroduced in Congress since 1982.
  • Noted that the ERA has not been adopted as part of the Constitution, despite ongoing legislative efforts and renewed interest in recent years.

Who is affected

  • While primarily symbolic, the resolution signals New Jersey’s support for federal constitutional changes to guarantee equal rights. It instructs state officials to forward the resolution to New Jersey’s congressional delegation, thereby informing federal lawmakers of the state’s position.

Procedural status and timeline

  • Status: Introduced in the New Jersey Assembly on February 1, 2024; referred to the Assembly Community Development and Women’s Affairs Committee.
  • As a joint resolution, it functions as a memorializing measure rather than creating new law or altering state statutes.
  • Effective date: Immediate, per the resolution’s terms.

Potential impact

  • Educational and advocacy value: heightens awareness of ERA history and ongoing debates about gender equality.
  • Political signaling: reinforces New Jersey’s stance in favor of constitutional gender equality and could influence discussions among federal lawmakers and the public.
  • Legal effect: None direct in New Jersey law; the measure expresses the Legislature’s position and urges federal action.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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