RALEIGH
Leaders in the N.C. General Assembly say that it is too early to evaluate the prospects of proposed legislation that would give reparations to people who were sterilized under a state-sponsored eugenics program.
When state legislators convene later this month to begin their 2009 session, their focus will be on the economy and the state's budget woes, legislative leaders say. An expected budget shortfall in the billions of dollars will make any new spending difficult to get through the legislature.
But that hasn't stopped some Democratic legislators -- chief among them Rep. Larry Womble of Winston-Salem -- from calling for monetary compensation and other benefits for victims of the sterilization program. The state has estimated that there are 2,800 living victims of the program, which lasted from 1929 to 1974.
Last month, a committee led by Womble recommended a bill that would allocate $18 million this year for the state to begin paying out reparations. The committee recommended that each victim be entitled to $20,000.
The bill's chances depend largely on how much priority it gets from the legislature's two Democratic leaders, both of whom were noncommittal in recent interviews.
The speaker of the N.C. House of Representatives, Joe Hackney, said he supports compensation for sterilization victims -- as long as the state can find the money.
"I thought the recommendations were reasonable, thoughtful. And I hope we can do it," said Hackney, D-Orange. "I don't know whether we can do the entire financial part in a year like this or not."
Most of the push for reparations has come from members of the House. In the N.C. Senate, there has been no formal study of the issue, said that chamber's leader, Sen. Marc Basnight.
Basnight said that he and other senators would take up reparations if the House passes a bill first. And he said he has no personal opinion about reparations because he doesn't know enough about the issue.
"I just don't want to jump out on something that happened so many years ago without a better review," Basnight said.
Gov.-elect Bev Perdue, also a Democrat, promised during her campaign to provide reparations to sterilization victims.
■ James Romoser can be reached at 919-210-6794 or at jromoser@wsjournal.com.
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