Illinois, which buried ERA decades ago, now its darling

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Forty years ago, the drive for the Equal Rights Amendment was pronounced dead in Illinois. But just days ago, the Prairie State became the 37th state to ratify the long-debated issue .

What changed? Activists on both sides of the issue point to the outcry following the #MeToo movement.

ERA supporters say the recent #MeToo anti-sexual harassment protest magnified the same arguments used in the ERA fight decades ago.

Critics say #MeToo misled young women into supporting an amendment they didn't understand.

Democratic House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie says ERA also benefited from the fact that Illinois has its own equal protection and it hasn't caused the calamity some fear.

Ratification by one more state could mean adding ERA to the U.S. Constitution. But there's debate about whether a 1982 deadline stands.