No money for victims of eugenics

North Carolina’s novel effort to compensate people who were sterilized under a widespread and decades-long eugenics program that stretched into the 1970s all but died in the State Senate on Wednesday.

Despite backing from Gov. Bev Perdue and the State House of Representatives, a compensation package that would have given victims up to $50,000 each was not included in the Senate’s budget.

“I think there’s a very strong message from the Senate they’re not prepared to take it up this year,” said Thom Tillis, a Republican and speaker of the House, who supported paying victims.

Lawmakers will vote on the final $20.2 billion budget later this week and then send it to the governor, but it is unlikely that any last-minute changes will include the eugenics bill.