2003-25175 ResoRESOLUTION NO. 2003-25175
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA
SUPPORTING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE'S
RATIFICATION OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
WHICH GUARANTEES EQUAL RIGHTS FOR MEN AND
WOMEN.
WHEREAS, three years after women won the right to vote, the Equal Rights
Amendment to the United States Constitution, authored by Alice Paul, head of the National
Women's Party, was introduced in Congress by Senator Curtis and representative Anthony, both
Republicans; and
WHEREAS, on March 22, 1972, the proposed Amendment to the United States
Constitution was sent to the States for ratification; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution
states:
Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by
the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate
legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of
ratification; and
WHEREAS, the Equal Rights Amendment is necessary to ensure a clear constitutional
guarantee that sex will be considered a suspect classification, entitled to the same strict scrutiny
that courts reserve for race, religion, and national origin; and
WHEREAS, Congress placed a deadline of June 30, 1982 on the ratification process and
only thirty-five (35) of the required thirty-eight (38) States ratified the proposed Amendment
before the deadline; and
WHEREAS, Congress may not have the constitutional authority to place a deadline on
the ratification process; and
WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution allows the Legislature of the
State of Florida to ratify this proposed Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida
support the Florida Legislature's ratification of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment as a
meaningful and needed part of the United States Constitution and that the present political,
social, and economic conditions are the same, if not even more demanding, as when the proposed
Amendment was first submitted for adoption.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA:
1. That the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, as set forth below, is hereby supported and the Mayor and City Commission urge its
ratification by the Legislature of the State of Florida.
Article
Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by
the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate
legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of
ratification.
2. That certified copies of this Resolution be immediately forwarded by the City
Clerk to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State of the United States, the
President of the Senate of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the
United States, the Administrator of the General Services Administration of the United States, the
Governor of the State of Florida, the President of the Florida Senate, and the Speaker of the Florida
House of Representatives.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 9th day of Aptil,I ~/3/
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
F:xatto\TURN~RESOSXEqual Rights Amendment2.doc
TO: c~
FROM:
DATE:
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR & COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
JORGE M. GO~LEZ
CITY MAN ,~/~
MAYOR ~
APRIL 7, 2003
AGENDA ITEM
Please place on the April 9, 2003 agenda a resolution urging the Florida House and Senate to
ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
DD: fr
Agenda Item
Date