State Capitol Protesters Call Civil Rights Commission 'Unjust'

DENVER (CBS4)- The future of Colorado's Civil Rights Commission is uncertain after some question the makeup of the commission. The commission is supposed to help protect people from injustice.

Protesters rallied at the state Capitol on Tuesday. They're hoping the makeup of the commission doesn't change.

The commission helps solve issues from everything to do with religious freedom to fair housing.

Republicans want to change the makeup of the commission to include a lawyer but Democrats want to make sure the commission survives.

"This doesn't have to be a partisan battle," said State Rep. Leslie Herod. "Discrimination knows no party affiliation. Democrats, Republicans, Independents all of us may one day, ourselves, our neighbors, may come face to face with discrimination. It's up to all of us to fight together, to cross party lines to defend our rights."

"I think there's a balance that we need to meet. Right now, the balance is leaning a little too much, a little too much power, too much weight on the division, on the commission," said Yeulin Willett. "The commission, I think a number of Coloradans in business and individuals feel it's gotten a little far skewing, apparently so on a couple of the justices of the United States Supreme Court.  So we need to bring it back into balance."

Republicans must sign off on any future funding of the state's civil right's commission.