For months, advocates nationwide have been forced onto the defense – to preserve our hard-fought gains and ensure the civil rights of women, girls, and vulnerable communities are not threatened. But there remain opportunities to go on the offense.
This week’s Equal Pay Today! campaign convening in Washington, DC brought exactly that. I proudly joined 30 of the nation’s top litigators, economists, academics, and advocates to discuss the future of equal pay legislation. For two days, we envisioned the world we want for working families, rather than just strategizing to hold the line.
And our energy and optimism is not unwarranted – currently, 41 states across the country are considering equal pay laws. These laws, which will help close the wage gap and ensure economic security for women, are not just passing in “blue” states like California and Massachusetts. This legislative cycle, states including Texas, Louisiana, Indiana, and
South Carolina are considering equal pay legislation.
These innovative state laws represent the next generation of equal pay laws. And the members of the Equal Pay Today! campaign are ready to support advocates and legislators in states that are pushing the envelope on equal pay. Together, we will continue to drive progress over the next four years.
Special thanks to Equal Pay Today! steering committee members: Dina Bakst (A Better Balance), Terry Fromson (Women’s Law Project), Fatima Goss Graves (National Women’s Law Center), Pamelya Herndon (Southwest Women’s Law Center), Lenora Lapidus (ACLU Women’s Rights Project), Lisa Stratton (Gender Justice).
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