The foundation that verified whether people were involuntarily sterilized by the former N.C. Eugenics Board has resumed operations, the state announced Thursday.

"There are still many people in North Carolina who were impacted by the Eugenics Board program," said Jill Lucas, a spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Administration. "And these individuals still have the right to access their records."

The foundation stopped taking new requests last month when it appeared operating funds would end, but the legislature passed a bill directing the foundation to keep going with $128,000 from the Department of Administration.

"The status of the agency will be evaluated in the fall and we'll determine the ongoing resources they will need at that point," Lucas said.

The foundation will be pared down, with two support staff positions being eliminated, leaving only Executive Director Charmaine Fuller Cooper. Its sole mission will be victim verification requests.

The Eugenics Board operated a program between 1929 and 1974 that was responsible for the forced sterilization of nearly 7,600 people in 100 counties.

The foundation has verified 161 eugenics victims in 57 counties, including 146 living victims. There were 140 requests being processed when the foundation suspended operations.

A bill that would have given each victim $50,000 in compensation passed the N.C. House but failed to pass the state Senate.

See more here:

N.C. eugenics foundation to continue identifying victims