South Carolina lawmakers have approved spending about $1.2 billion in federal relief money to handle COVID-19 on an extra five days of school, …
South Carolina lawmakers have approved spending about $1.2 billion in federal relief money to handle COVID-19 on an extra five days of school, replenishing the state’s jobless fund and creating their own stockpile of protective equipment.
The 109-2 vote by the House on Wednesday essentially sent the proposal to the governor, who is expected to sign it.
Lawmakers made few changes to Gov. Henry McMaster’s suggestion on how to spend the money he sent to them a month ago, just moving funds around a few places and adding an amendment asking state Education Superintendent Molly Spearman to request federal permission to not give some standardized tests next school year – a request Spearman already said she was going to make.
Nearly every House member wore a mask and at least a half-dozen had plastic face shields Wednesday as the spike in COVID-19 cases in South Carolina continues.
The state saw a record 1,291 new cases on Wednesday – the seventh day of at least 869 news cases. Before June 18, the state had never had that many COVID-19 cases in one day.
