Upcoming State Senate Resolution- SCR 4010

The state senate of North Dakota is considering Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4010, clarifying that North Dakota's 1975 ratification of the Equal Right Amendment lapsed on March 22, 1979. We have referred to this pro-life measure informally as the "Count Us Out" resolution.

In recent years there have been two important developments that fully justify adoption of SCR No. 4010. First, many leaders and attorneys associated with prominent pro-abortion organizations now openly proclaim that they intend to employ a federal ERA to reinforce and expand federal constitutional “abortion rights,” and they believe the ultimate result will be the invalidation of hundreds of state and federal pro-life laws and policies. Indeed, they have already successfully employed state-constitution ERAs in that fashion in several states.

There has also been a national scheme has emerged to evade the ratification requirements contained in Article V of the U.S. Constitution, and to “air drop” into the Constitution the 1972 ERA language. For example, Democratic attorneys general from Virginia and other states are currently urging a federal judge in Washington, D.C., to rule that the 1972 ERA has already been ratified – and in so doing, they are counting North Dakota as a ratifying state. We respectfully suggest that it is time for the Legislative Assembly to take note of this ongoing subterfuge and to formally say, “Count us out,” through adoption of SCR No. 4010.

A vote for Senate Concurrent Resolution 4010 is a vital pro-life vote. Thank you for your kind attention to our position on this important matter.