The Equal Rights Amendment was a powerful force decades ago in the United States, but its momentum slowed and not enough states ratified it by 1982 to make it official.

Nationally, the effort made little progress, but 23 states — mostly during the lack of federal movement — added equal rights amendments to their state constitutions. Arizona isn’t one of them.

The state House voted to adjourn early Tuesday rather than debate the Equal Rights Amendment.

Tucson democrat Pamela Powers Hannely intiated the call for debate to ratify the amendment but was met with a Tepublican motion to end the day instead. Hannely said it was appaling that the contitution still lacks equal rights for women.

Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, a Republican from Gilbert, argued against the amendment, saying that the 14th Amendment already protects women's rights.

Meanwhile, the fight for the ERA continues in other states.

Marsha Mercer, an independent journalist who wrote about the ERA for Stateline, discussed the difficulties in moving the amendment forward.