Dec. 13, 2023, is a double-edged date to remember: the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the federal Equal Rights Amendment in Congress, and 100 years of the still-unfinished business of guaranteeing that the U.S. Constitution prohibits sex discrimination under the law.

Even though the federal ERA was passed overwhelmingly by Congress in 1972 and has received approval from the required 38 states, its legal status is in limbo subject to the resolution of conflicting arguments about the timing of its state ratifications relative to a 1982 proposed deadline.

In New Jersey, another constitutional milestone was celebrated last year: the 75th anniversary of our 1947 state equal rights guarantee. Our New Jersey ERA, however, has solid and long-established legal effectiveness.