COLUMBIA, S.C. — Governor Henry McMaster says the Palmetto State has reopened responsibly and is moving in the right direction.
On Thursday – he announced recommendations to the General Assembly for how the Phase II expenditure of CARES Act funds should be invested.
If you recall, the state did receive $1.9 billion in relief funds.
The governor’s recommendations include $450 million to replenish the Unemployment Trust Fund, $45 million in grants for small businesses and non-profit organizations that did not receive federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and $93 million to reimburse DHEC and MUSC for their continued COVID-19 testing and research efforts.
The governor also recommends $50 million to be reimbursed for public school districts and charter school for COVID-19 related costs incurred by reopening and $100 million to be reimbursed to state agencies with verifiable COVID-19 related expenses.
Here’s the breakdown:
- The $30 million would be made available to small businesses who didn’t receive federal funds under the paycheck protection programs from the Small Business Association. The $30 million would provide 6,000 small business with $5,000 dollar grants.
- $15 million would go to non-profits for PPP loans.
- On schools, McMaster says only 19 school districts statewide opened five days a week. “I’m not happy about that. I don’t know anyone who is happy.” The governor says if state law allowed him to require five day a week education, he would have issued an executive order doing that months ago. But he says he doesn’t have the authority to do that. To help with costs of face-to-face, McMaster says he will reimburse public school districts and charter schools $50 million for COVID-related costs, but only schools that opened five days a week.
- The governor is also proposing $93 million for DHEC and MUSC for continued COVID-19 testing and prevention. The money will also cover law enforcement agencies, first responders, counties, institutions of higher education and technical colleges.
McMaster also discussed a potential vaccine for COVID-19. He says DHEC is preparing for a vaccine this fall. He says distributing the vaccine will be a statewide effort and Team South Carolina involving multiple agencies. But there is no confirmed date for a when it will be available.
Once the vaccine is here, DHEC leaders say, it will be in short supply to start. It will be given to those at highest risk of getting sick from the virus and will take two doses to be effective.
A spokesman with DHEC says the agency has received 46 reopening plans from nursing homes for in-person visitation. 22 of those plans have been approved.
