An Equal Rights Amendment for the Delaware Constitution failed in the Delaware State Senate as male Republicans held firm in voting against the bill.
The bill easily passed the House. Democrats hold a razor-thin majority in the Senate, but could not get a supermajority required to pass the measure.
That vote drew the ire of the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Valarie Longhurst, D-Delaware who called out opponents of the measure in a Facebook post. Longhurst praised the work of State Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown who won a special election over a male candidate in a district that leans Republican.
The bill returns to the House.
“Apparently the Republican Senate members don’t think women deserve Equal Rights in Delaware. Oh, did I mention they are all men,” Longhurst wrote: HB 399 failed because of these men:
Senate Minority Whip Lavelle
Sen Dellcollo
Sen Bonini
Sen Hocker
Sen Richardson
Sen Simpson
Sen Pettyjohn
Sen Lawson”
Males and one female responding to Longhurst’s post claimed that women already have equal rights. Women upset over the vote said it was time to vote for candidates who support the amendment.
Gov. John Carney issued the following:
“I am disappointed in today’s vote in the Delaware Senate to defeat the Equal Rights Amendment. This legislation is an opportunity for us to lay out clearly in the Delaware Constitution the importance of equal rights for women. It is the right thing to do. We owe it to all Delaware women to pass this legislation. I want to recognize all the legislators who stood up and voted for this legislation. I hope the Senate finds a way to reconsider this amendment this session.”
State Sen. Gregg Lavelle, R-north Wilmington, issued a lengthy statement on Facebook indicating that he was concerned the amendment would lead to funding of late-term abortions. Comments on Lavelle’s post were largely along gender lines, with the harshest criticism coming from women. Lavelle said he was open to voting yes if changes are made.
Lavelle will face Laura Sturgeon, a Democrat, in his re-election race.
An effort to enact a similar amendment in the U.S. Constitution has failed as other state legislatures failed to pass the measure, citing the argument made by males in the Facebook post.
Delaware did ratify the U.S. Constitutional Amendment.
