Women In Arizona > What Year Is It? 1972 Equal Rights Amendment NOT Ratified???

When in doubt - or just can't do it - AZ House takes a recess!

Quotes included from East Valley Repubs Townsend and Farnsworth. Believe It or Not!

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GOP lawmakers stymie bid to vote on Equal Rights Amendment

By  Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services April 27, 2017 , 3:39 pm

House Republican leaders outmaneuvered a bid by Democrats to finally get the legislature to vote whether to approve the federal Equal Rights Amendment.

Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley, D-Tucson, complained during floor action Thursday that her legislation to put Arizona on record in favor of the amendment never even got a hearing. So she made a motion that the measure be brought to the full House for an immediate vote.
The maneuver, which is legal under House rules, caught GOP leaders by surprise.
But rather than simply allowing a vote on her motion, Speaker J.D. Mesnard made a procedural motion to instead have the House recess. That was approved along party lines, denying Democrats the vote they sought — and effectively keeping Republicans from having to go on the record on whether they support or oppose the amendment.

The proposal, approved by Congress in 1972, says that “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.”And it would empower Congress to enforce provisions.

Kelly Townsend: “Do you want to go home and tell your daughters and granddaughters that you preferred to take a recess than actually have the opportunity to be leading and continuing to lead the state of Arizona?” asked Rep. Isela Blanc, D-Tempe.

But Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, would not be pushed into having to make a decision.
“This is an issue I need to study more on,” said Townsend . . . On one hand, Townsend said she no more supports paying someone less because of gender than she would to discriminate based on religion.

Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, who chairs that panel, was unlikely to give it a hearing.
Farnsworth said he’s not against the concept of equal rights.
“I have seven daughters,” he said. But Farnsworth argued that state law already prohibits discrimination based on gender.
“What are we fixing?” he asked.
. . . Farnsworth, however, said the measure may have “unintended consequences,” including the possibility that women would be subject to the draft if it is reinstated.
More details from Howe Fischer > AZ Capitol Times