Tue Oct 29 10:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Newsday Recommends a ‘No’ Vote on New York’s Equal Rights Amendment (Proposition One)

**Long Island, NY -** In a strongly worded editorial, Newsday’s editorial board has recommended a “No” vote on Proposition One, the proposed Equal Rights Amendment currently on the New York ballot. While acknowledging the importance of protecting reproductive rights, the board believes the amendment’s broad language and lack of legislative scrutiny pose significant risks to the state’s legal framework and future governance.

The editorial highlights the amendment’s vague phrasing on abortion, arguing it is far less specific than Ohio’s recently approved ballot measure, which clearly outlines protections for reproductive decisions including access to abortion. Newsday further expresses concerns about the amendment’s potential to open the door to judicial activism on contentious issues like parental control of medical decisions for minors and age restrictions for housing.

The board criticizes the legislative process that led to Proposition One, arguing that it was rushed through without proper debate or input from legal experts. They point to the fact that the amendment was passed in a special session with minimal deliberation and held off the ballot until this year’s presidential election, a move they see as strategically designed to boost voter turnout.

“Proposition One is an end run around the will of the people to have these choices made by their elected representatives,” the editorial states. “Our opposition to the amendment is opposition to the process that produced it. The legislature must be the first crucible in which to test social change.”

Newsday advocates for a more deliberate approach, urging lawmakers to craft a better amendment that specifically addresses reproductive rights and, potentially, same-sex marriage. They argue that the current proposition is too broad and could have unintended consequences for New York’s legal and social fabric.

The editorial board’s recommendation comes after a thorough review of the amendment’s text and the legislative process that led to its placement on the ballot. They urge voters to consider the potential risks and unintended consequences before casting their ballot.

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