“No open debate”: A blue state judge strikes down a contentious ballot issue in response to criticism of parental rights in the US.

A judge dismissed the contentious Equal Rights Amendment, which was on the ballot for the New York elections in November, for procedural reasons.

Republicans and the bill’s opponents, who claim it was worded too broadly and would violate parents’ rights when it comes to issues like children undergoing gender-affirming surgeries, have won this case.

The Women’s Health Organization ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, decided by the Supreme Court in June 2022, prompted New York Democrats to act quickly and enact the ERA. A few weeks after the Dobbs ruling was handed down, the amendment was approved by both chambers of the New York Assembly at a special session.


The amendment, proponents claim, was created to guarantee women’s abortion rights in the Empire State.