Legislation that would enact new antidiscrimination protections for transgender Coloradans passed a Senate committee early Thursday morning after its backers altered the most controversial

In the final week of the legislative session, Colorado lawmakers are advancing protections against discrimination for transgender individuals. Why it matters: The legislation exemplifies Colorado's role as a counterweight to President Trump and several conservative-led states after repeated attacks on the transgender community and efforts to curtail their rights.

Backers say the Colorado Voting Rights Act will protect against efforts to scale back civil rights, but cities fear it could open up new challenges to how they run their elections.