RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — State lawmakers are poised to take a major step toward making Virginia the critical 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The Democrat-controlled Virginia House and Senate are expected to advance the gender equality measure in floor votes Wednesday.
A House committee on Tuesday approved a resolution to ratify the gender equality measure.
The vote was along party lines 13 to 9 with all Democrats voting for passage and all of the Republicans voting against.
The votes will be a momentous symbolic victory for many women's rights advocates and a sign of how much once-solidly conservative Virginia has changed.
But at the national level, many questions remain about the fate of the proposed amendment. Court battles are expected to ensue.
