Proposal 1, dubbed the “Equal Rights Amendment,” was approved by voters. The "yes" votes were leading 62 to 28 percent with 34-percent of the vote counted as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, according to the state Board of Elections.
It would amend the New York State Constitution to protect against unequal treatment based on the following:
- Ethnicity, national origin, age or disability
- Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression
- Pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes
- Reproductive healthcare and autonomy
Notably, supporters said the move would enshrine abortion access into state law in wake of the US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, a move that left abortion rights up to individual states.
Opponents, meanwhile, told CBS New York the wording of the proposal opens the door to transgender athletes competing on sports teams aligned with their gender identities and to men using women’s bathrooms.
Proposal 1 was backed by an overwhelming 69-percent of likely New York voters, according to a Siena College poll released Monday, Oct. 22. Twenty-two percent were opposed.
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