Bill Summary for H 73 (2011-2012)

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Bill: EUGENICS PROGRAM—SUPPORT AND EDUCATION.

Summary date: 

Feb 10 2011

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2011-2012 Session
House Bill 73 (Public) Filed Thursday, February 10, 2011
TO PROVIDE COUNSELING BENEFITS TO EUGENICS SURVIVORS, TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO ESTABLISH A DATABASE OF EUGENICS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND VERIFY THE STATUS OF PERSONS CONTACTING THE STATE TO DETERMINE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE STATE PROGRAM, TO DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM IN ITS K 12 HISTORY CURRICULUM, TO DIRECT THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA TO DIRECT APPROPRIATE FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH SURVIVORS, TO RECOMMEND CREATION OF AN ETHICS TRAINING MODULE FOR STATE, COUNTY, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AND TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES TO DIGITIZE EXISTING RECORDS FOR PRESERVATION AND STUDY PURPOSES.
Intro. by Womble, Parmon.

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Bill summary

Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop a proposal for providing behavioral health counseling services to confirmed survivors of the NC Eugenics Sterilization Program (Program) and report its recommendations and legislative proposals to the Legislative Study Commission on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services when or before the 2012 Regular Session of the 2011 General Assembly convenes.
Instructs DHHS to create a verification database of individuals ordered to be sterilized under the Program, which will be developed in four phases in conjunction with the Department of Cultural Resources (DCR). States that database records are confidential and not subject to disclosure under GS 132-6(a). Appropriates $38,648 for 2011-12 from the General Fund to DHHS to administer the creation of the database and the counseling services proposal. Makes the appropriation effective July 1, 2011.
Requires DHHS to compare the names and identifying information collected by the Office of Minority Health with those entered into the database and to notify verified program participants of their status as soon as possible. Directs DHHS to report on the progress of the database to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations (Commission) by the time the 2012 regular session convenes.
Requires DHHS to use available funds to conduct an outreach campaign to identify survivors through means including news releases, public announcements, and joint efforts with relevant interest groups and agencies. Directs DHHS to report on its progress to the Commission by the time the 2012 regular session convenes.
Directs the State Board of Education to include information about the Program in its existing K-12 history curriculum. Requires the Board of Education to report on its progress to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee (Committee) by the time the 2012 regular session convenes.
Requires the UNC Board of Governors to direct its students and faculty with appropriate expertise to interview and document experiences of Program survivors to share with future generations. Requires the Board of Governors to report on its progress to the Committee by the time the 2012 regular session convenes.
Requires the Office of State Personnel to create an ethics training module to educate state, county, and local government employees on issues relating to ethics and human rights.
Directs DCR to create digitized copies of all records currently in the State Archives related to the Program, and to make those copies available for research, while maintaining participants’ confidentiality. Makes the directive subject to the availability of funds, and requires DCR make every effort to secure philanthropic grant funding for the preservation project.
Includes whereas clauses.