SC Legislative Update 6/23/20
By Ben Homeyer
The Senate convened today to allocate CARES Act funds received from the federal government for issues created by COVID in South Carolina. The Senate passed a resolution including, but not limited to, the following provisions:
- Allocations for the unemployment fund;
- funding for instruction and assessment in education to make up for missed time this spring and prepare students for a successful 2020-2021 school year;
- acquire PPE for the state stockpile;
- fund DHEC testing needs;
- begin mapping and expanding broadband access in South Carolina in an expedited fashion; and
- purchase a minimum of 100,000 mobile hotspots for households in South Carolina to have access for educational use this school year.
The Senate also authorized a waiver of all federal and/or state mandated accountability testing for the 2020-2021 school year so teachers can focus on instruction, not government mandated testing. The House will take up this version of the resolution in its session tomorrow.
The House is expected to adopt the language when they come in to session tomorrow.
Liability was scheduled to be on the agenda today as well but because the sides were still far apart the Senate did not take up the measure. It will come back up again in September when they are mandated to come back in to session. It is possible more will follow suit.
Also today Governor McMaster initiated a program with the restaurant and lodging association. It is voluntary but those restaurants that follow cdc and dhec guidelines they will get a sticker stating it is a safe restaurant to dine at.
In addition in Greenville yesterday a mandate was put in for all grocery and pharmacies to mandate the use of masks for all customers. A civil fine of $25 is associated with the offense. Columbia today instituted their own mask requirements. It goes much further and requires all people going in to commercial establishments in Columbia to wear a face mask. It also carries a $25 fine if not followed. The full Columbia ordinance is attached.
For a full account of the legislation please click here https://www.scstatehouse.gov/
Dollar amounts for covid funding are as follows
(A) Department of Employment and Workforce Unemployment TrustFund…………………
(B) State Department of Education Academic Recovery Camps, Five Days of Academic Instruction and Food Services………………….
(C) Department of Administration State and Local Government Expenditures………………
(D) Department of Health and Environmental Control
Statewide Testing and Monitoring……………..$ 42,437,873
(E) Adjutant General – Emergency Management Division
Personal Protective Equipment Stockpile and Supply Chain…………………….
(F) Department of Administration – Executive Budget Office
Hospital Relief Fund……………………..
(G) Office of Regulatory Staff
Broadband Mapping and Planning, Infrastructure
And Mobile Hotspots………………….
(H) Department of Administration – Executive Budget Office
Grant Management Oversight and Compliance………………..
