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2025 Regular Session Introduced by Regina Barrow

Georgia formally ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment and directs its transmission to federal officials.

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time by title and adopted.

Senate Resolution 202 — Summary

Bill type: Senate Resolution (SR 202)
Subject: Ratification and commemoration of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Introduced: February 28, 2025
Sponsors (primary): Kenya Wicks; Sally Harrell; Nabilah Islam Parkes; Sonya Halpern; Kim Jackson; Elena Parent; Nikki Merritt; Donzella James; Freddie Powell Sims; Nan Orrock; Tonya Anderson; Gail Davenport; Fevella; Neil Anderson; Regina Ashford Barrow (and subsequently co‑sponsored by all Georgia Senators)
Related bill: SCR 240 (companion)

Overview / Purpose

SR 202 is a formal resolution by the Georgia General Assembly that (1) ratifies and adopts the text of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the United States Constitution, (2) commemorates the ERA’s confirmation as the 28th Amendment, and (3) directs that a certified copy of the resolution be transmitted to federal officials (President, U.S. Secretary of State, and Archivist of the United States) in accordance with federal statute (1 U.S.C. §§ 106b, 112). The resolution affirms the Assembly’s support for constitutional sex‑equality protections and celebrates decades of advocacy for equal rights.

Key Provisions / Text Included

The resolution incorporates the ERA text proposed by the 92nd Congress (three sections):
- Section 1: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
- Section 2: Grants Congress power to enforce the amendment by appropriate legislation.
- Section 3: States the amendment “shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.”

The resolution also references President Biden’s January 17, 2025 declaration recognizing the ERA as the 28th Amendment and commends the national achievement.

Who or What Is Affected

As a state ratification resolution, SR 202 is a formal act by Georgia’s legislature expressing the state’s assent to the ERA. The resolution itself does not by itself change Georgia statutory law; rather, it registers Georgia’s ratification of a proposed federal constitutional amendment.

If the ERA is recognized as part of the U.S. Constitution, its provisions would apply nationwide and could affect federal and state laws, regulations, and legal standards in areas such as employment, education, healthcare, and civil rights enforcement.

Procedural / Timeline Notes

Senate actions: Received Feb 28, 2025; read and adopted March 5, 2025; enrolled and signed by the President of the Senate June 12, 2025; sent to the Secretary of State June 13, 2025.

Vote tallies recorded: adoption votes reported as unanimous (e.g., 31–0 and 38–0 in various recorded steps).

The resolution directs transmission of a certified copy to federal officials (President, Secretary of State, Archivist) per 1 U.S.C. §§ 106b and 112 — the standard method for notifying federal authorities of state ratification.

Impact and Significance

SR 202 is primarily symbolic and procedural: it communicates Georgia’s formal ratification of the ERA and participates in the multi‑state ratification process for a proposed constitutional amendment. If the ERA is accepted and effective as a constitutional amendment, the amendment’s sex‑equality language would become part of the U.S. Constitution and could inform litigation, legislative drafting, and policy across many sectors.