The Privileges and Elections Committees of both houses of the General Assembly were directed by Senate Joint Resolution No. 134 to investigate and report on the equal rights amendment to the United States Constitution, and related questions. The joint resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at its 1973 Session.

To make the investigation called for in the resolution, a subcommittee, chaired by Senator Omer L. Hirst of Annandale, was appointed. Serving with Senator Hirst were Senator George S. Aldhizer, II of Broadway, Senator Howard P. Anderson of Halifax, Honorable Walther B. Fidler of Sharps, Honorable A. R. Giesen of Verona and Honorable D. French Slaughter of Culpeper.

Members of the Subcommittee determined that the impact of the amendment was of such importance, not only to the citizens of the Commonwealth, but to the citizens of her sister states, that a study in depth by outstanding legal scholars of the State was required.

Pursuant to such determination, a task force of outstanding teachers and practitioners of law was established. Mr. Harold G. Wren, Dean of The T. C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond, was appointed chairman of the task force and serving with him were Mr. A. E. Dick Howard, Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law, Mr. Robert E. R. Huntley, President of Washington and Lee University, former dean of its law school; Mrs. Carroll Krm Shackelford, Attorney at Law, Culpeper, and Mr. William F. Swindler, Professor of Law, George Wythe School of Law, The College of William and Mary.

As an aid to the task force in its study, a public hearing was held in Richmond, Virginia, in September, 1973, at which numerous citizens appeared and testified before the Subcommittee and the task force. The input of citizen's testimony was accompanied by prepared material from other students of the amendment in the United States.

On receipt of the task force report, the Joint Committee held a meeting at the Capitol in January, 1974, open to the public, to afford Committee members an opportunity to question members of the task force concerning the contents of the report.

Following dissemination of the task force report to the public, another public hearing was held in Richmond, on February 12, 1974, by the Privileges and Elections Committees of both houses. Many citizens spoke both for and against ratification of the amendment representing their individual view as well as those of the varied organizations they represented.

The Joint Committee has adopted the task force report, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. In accordance with its directive the Privileges and Elections Committees of both houses make no recommendation for or against ratification of the amendment but recommend that the report be utilized in amending various State statutes to bring them into conformity with Section 11 of Article I of the Virginia Constitution and that it also be used by members of the General Assembly as a resource document in making legislative judgment on the question of ratification.