NC Republicans divided on sterilization payments

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – The effort to compensate survivors of North Carolina’s defunct sterilization program received a boost when Republican House Speaker Thom Tillis sponsored a bill to make it happen.

The bill to provide $50,000 to each living victim cleared the House by a comfortable margin earlier this month, but it’s reached a roadblock in the Senate with this year’s session dwindling.

Senate leader Phil Berger says he doesn’t see right now where the votes are to pass the compensation idea this year.

Compensation critics argue that money won’t make up for the victims’ pain, and that the payments could place a large liability upon the state. Thousands of people received surgeries based on state laws enforced until the 1970s.

Tillis says he’s confident a compromise can be reached on the compensation issue.

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