### New York State Sheriffs' Association Opposes Equal Rights Amendment

The New York State Sheriffs' Association has voiced strong opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, known as Proposition 1, ahead of its statewide vote on Tuesday. The association's president, Craig DuMond, warns that the proposed amendment could severely disrupt the criminal justice system by making it difficult to manage inmate populations in jails and prisons.

Proposition 1 aims to amend the New York State constitution to include protections against discrimination based on ethnicity, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy and its outcomes, as well as reproductive healthcare and autonomy. These protections, while already covered by state laws to some extent, would become more challenging to alter if enshrined in the constitution.

DuMond expressed particular concerns regarding the ban on age and sex discrimination. He argues that such absolute protections would complicate the current system of separating inmates by these categories, a practice deemed necessary for safety and order within correctional facilities. "It is not clear that under Proposition 1 we will even be able to maintain separate men's and women's sections," DuMond stated.

The association also pointed out operational issues arising from the potential lawsuits by inmates related to gender identity and sex discrimination. Such lawsuits have already been occurring but would become harder to defend against if Proposition 1 passes. According to DuMond, without the ability to make distinctions based on gender identity, prisons could face "chaos" and increased litigation costs.

While the New York State Bar Association and other proponents of Proposition 1 have argued that many states have successfully integrated similar equal rights amendments into their constitutions, the Sheriffs' Association remains unconvinced. They suggest that the amendment's wording lacks the necessary precision to address the complex realities of criminal justice and corrections.

In advocating for voting against Proposition 1, Sheriff DuMond emphasized the risks he believes the amendment poses to the common-sense policies currently in place. He concluded that the defeat of the proposition would better serve the interests of New Yorkers.