Utah lawmakers push for equality for women

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Some 40 years after the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was defeated, a group of Democratic lawmakers are pushing Utah to ratify it.
Democratic Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck said Monday that women are still dealing with issues like workplace sexual harassment that were illuminated by recent women’s protests around the country.
The proposal is a longshot in a conservative state that didn’t ratify the amendment in the 1970’s, but sponsor Sen. Jim Dabakis says he doesn’t understand how any lawmaker could have a problem with a plan requiring equality for women.
Utah Women Unite says U.S. lawmakers tried to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970’s, but it failed after it didn’t get enough state support.