It is my special honor to serve as the Chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission during this 60th anniversary year of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR). I know that I and my fellow Commissioners are proud to serve the people of the state of Michigan through our work to guarantee all people have access to their inalienable civil rights under the Constitution of 1963, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, and other Michigan laws.
I’m reaching out to you today to ask for your help.
In the early 1980s, MDCR had over 300 staff members. However, under the last several administrations, we have dropped to the point where two years ago we had fewer than 100 people to serve 10 million Michiganders throughout the state. Today, under the cooperative leadership of the Commission and Director John E. Johnson, Jr., we’ve grown to 200 employees – marking this a time with the largest staff in two decades. This progress happened because community groups and leaders across the state stood up for civil rights and the cause of justice for all.
Right now, state lawmakers are in Lansing working on the next state budget for Fiscal Year 2026 and I must tell you I’m concerned with the way the negotiations are shaping up. The Michigan Senate has adopted a budget that keeps our funding at its current levels, with no elimination of staff. However, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a proposed version of the budget that is dramatically different. Their proposal is to cut our funding by 53%. If that were to be enacted, it means the following things:
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We’d lose over half of our investigators, making it much harder to handle the 700+ complaint contacts we receive each month. This would bring back long delays and huge backlogs.
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Our education and outreach programs could be slashed, leaving businesses and communities without help to reduce conflict and build trust.
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Key community partnerships/initiatives would be devastated, such as the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crimes (MIAAHC) and Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust (ALPACT), and we might lose important annual events like the MI Response to Hate Conference and Civil Rights Summit.
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Our work to support people with disabilities would suffer. Recent funding allowed us to expand ADA trainings, review documents for accessibility, and process more service animal requests. That progress would be lost.
As I write this today, there are 14 days left in the fiscal year and a rush between the House and Senate to resolve their differences. My fellow Commissioners and I need your help. You have the right to reach out to your state legislators today and tell them how you feel about MDCR's services and the impact they have on all Michiganders.
Our state civil rights protections are vitally important to the future of Michigan. Please join with me to make sure that Michigan continues to stand up for fairness, equality, and justice for all.
David Q Worthams, Chair
Michigan Civil Rights Commission
(Image is a photo of Michigan Civil Rights Commission Chair David Q. Worthams wearing glasses and a dark blue suit.)
