For years, supporters of the equal rights amendment have sought to include new protections in the Minnesota Constitution. With a new tweak, DFL leaders say this could be the year it moves to the ballot.

After coming up short at the Capitol for more than a decade, backers of a Minnesota equal rights amendment view 2024 as their moment.

Ahead of the 2024 legislative session, they’re tweaking a proposed addition to Minnesota’s Constitution to address new concerns around equality. That has meant explicitly spelling out rights to pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, though authoring groups have not formally agreed to the final draft.

The result could yield the most expansive equal rights policy in the country. Advocates say the change is critical in this political moment, while opponents say it’s a “Trojan horse” that could come with unintended consequences.