By Hannah Meisel

* In a surprising move, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) helped give the Equal Rights Amendment the extra boost needed to pass the House. Durkin is a pro-life Catholic, and one of the loudest arguments against the ERA is it will open the door for more abortions.

Earlier today Rep. Silvana Tabares (D-Chicago) had an excused absence, and everyone I asked had no idea what was going to happen with the Equal Rights Amendment. Then just before 6 p.m., Lou Lang introduced the ERA. If you heard psychotic clacking down the hallway in the Capitol basement, that was me running for the elevator. Two hours of debate later, it passed. Here’s the roll call. Watch video of the board during the vote here.

* GOP votes for the bill…

Steve Andersson

Dan Brady

Jim Durkin

David Harris

Chad Hays

David Olsen

Bob Pritchard

Grant Wehrli

David Welter

Christine Winger

* Dem votes against the bill…

Rita Mayfield

Mary Flowers

Natalie Phelps Finnie

Jerry Costello

Monica Bristow

* Notable moments from the debate…

.@ChrisWelch_JD: "We have a president who, if he could gut the Civil Rights Amendment of 1965, he would do it and do it now…I would rather rely on our U.S. Constitution than a law Donald Trump can [disassemble]. A man who hates women! He has no respect for women." — Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 31, 2018 .@Andersson4Rep from earlier: "I want to empower [women] because the better they are, the better we are as a people. And they are fully up to the challenge. They don’t need my help, my protection.” He's a GOP yes vote on the ERA. But also not running for his seat again. — Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 30, 2018 .@RepTerriBryant (R-Murphysboro): "We can stand up for our own rights, ladies.

My whole life I haven’t needed the Equal Rights Amendment because by God nobody’s going to take my rights from me. Stand up for your rights. We don’t need something on a piece of paper." — Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 31, 2018 It's been a lively debate so far. Choice quotes…@JeanneIves: "Women will not be protected until men decide to protect them and decide to stop the sexual harassment, decide to stop domestic abuse…what we need is great men to stand up and protect women. and this body knows it." — Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) May 30, 2018



Everyone acknowledges that if Illinois’ passage of the ERA triggers another state to do the same, this will end up in a legal battle over whether the ratification deadline (originally 1979 and then pushed to 1982) is truly dead. Also other states have attempted to rescind their ratification votes.

* More background…

