A bill to compensate the more than 130 victims of the states early and mid-20th Century sterilization program 19 of whom resided in Lenoir County is winding its way through the legislature.

The bill passed the N.C. House this month 86-31 with strong bipartisan support Republican House Speaker Thom Tillis of Mecklenburg County was among the 35 GOP members who voted with House Democrats on House Bill 947, the Eugenics Compensation Program.

Local Reps. William Wainwright, D-Craven, and Pat McElraft, R-Carteret, voted for the bill. Rep. Stephen LaRoque, R-Lenoir, voted against it.

None of the three could be reached for comment before press time Monday.

The bill is now before the Senates Judiciary Committee; if it passes the General Assembly and is signed by Gov. Bev Perdue, each sterilization victim would receive lump sum compensation of $50,000.

Perdue has included $10.3 million in her version of this years budget for a compensation fund.

We cannot change the terrible things that happened to so many of our most vulnerable citizens, but we can take responsibility for our states mistakes and show that we do not tolerate violations of basic human rights, the governor stated.

Between 1933 and 1977, about 7,600 North Carolinians, male and female and black and white, were forcibly sterilized officials at the time felt the procedures were for the patients own good.

The website for the N.C. History Project states: The Eugenics Board believed sterilizations improved the lives of those sterilized. According to the Board, the procedures were not punishments.

Sterilizations took place in all 100 counties, and officials with the N.C. Justice for Sterilization Victims Foundation have identified 132 victims living in 51 counties.

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