By Lindsay Street, Statehouse correspondent | South Carolina will receive nearly $2 billion to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, according to estimates from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
California and Texas have taken the lion’s share of the $150 billion set aside in the federal aid package expected to pass Congress today. Those states will receive $15 billion and $11 billion, respectively. See the March 25 state estimates here.
Most of the money from the package is unencumbered and its spending will likely be at the discretion of governors.
Beaufort Republican Sen. Tom Davis said he has been studying what the rescue package means for South Carolina.
“The way this thing has been structured is to provide flexibility to governors to use that money in a way that is tailored to what each state’s need is,” he said. “It will be the states that actually implement.”
In other news:
Statehouse lobbyist, former governor’s son dies. The S.C. Statehouse lost a familiar face this week: Jack West of Camden. West died after being diagnosed with COVID-19. He is one of the nine deaths reported as of this week from the coronavirus pandemic in the state. West was a lobbyist and the son of former Gov. John West, who served in the 1970s and died in 2004. Read more. Lexington Republican Sen. Katrina Shealy and Charleston Republican Sen. Paul Campbell both said West spent time in their offices in the weeks prior to his diagnosis. Both senators report that they and their staff remain healthy, however.
SNAP benefits extended to those not working. The March 18 federal aid package included a provision to allow unemployed, able-bodied people to receive food stamps. This was an issue raised by S.C. advocates earlier this month since the state is unable to seek a waiver to suspend those workforce requirements. Read previous coverage.
Pew research advises against state-level stimulus. A Pew Research analysis released this week said state fiscal policy is “typically not effective in boosting short-term economic growth because of the need to balance budgets.” It said state governments “play a pivotal role in determining the country’s long-term economic trajectory, in part by supporting educational initiatives, workforce training programs, and infrastructure investments.
S.C. budget good on reserves, needs work elsewhere. New research from the Center for Budget and Public Policy has listed South Carolina among the states “at or above necessary reserves” as a positive attribute to weather another recession. But the state is weak when it comes to jobless workers attaining unemployment insurance and the high level of higher education debt per household, the report said. The research was compiled in response to the pandemic. Read the report here.
Need all coronavirus resources in one place? S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center has launched a resource page to help the state’s poorest residents navigate benefits and programs available to them during the coronavirus pandemic. Click here.
Money going to S.C. District 6 for community health centers. The relief package passed by Congress March 18 included more than $500,000 for community health centers in the Midlands, according to a press release from U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn’s office. The money is intended to help the rural health centers respond to the pandemic.
Top mentoring teachers recognized in state. The Rex Institute, in the College of Education at Winthrop University, announced this month eight outstanding mentoring teachers, who were selected from a large pool of nominated teachers from across the state. The winners are: Heather Harmon of Saluda County schools, Brooke Erving of Fairfield County schools, Karen Roof of Rock Hill schools, and Rachel Turner of Greenville County schools. Semi-finalists included: Anna Hasenkamp of Greenville County schools, Julie McDowell of Spartanburg County School District Six, Jana Moore of Union County schools, and Earleane Williams of Clover County School District.
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