View from the Dome: McMaster Announces ‘Accelerate South Carolina’ Revitalization Plan, Details to Come

Friday, April 17, 2020

Gov. Henry McMaster extended the COVID-19 Emergency Order for another 15 days until Monday, April 27. South Carolina’s public schools will remain closed through the end of April.

The General Assembly remains in recess, but the governor has offered to call them back for a Special Session in June to adopt a Continuing Resolution to keep government operating beyond June 30.

The governor has lifted the restrictions on public boat ramps and waterways.

Keep up with all SCACPA updates specific to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 situation at www.scacpa.org/covid-19-response-and-resources.

See details below about how the Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd law firm will present a free webinar on the Paycheck Protection Program on Monday, April 20, from 11 a.m.-noon (Copper Dome Strategies is a subsidiary of the law firm).

REMINDER: Wash your hands. Cover your nose and mouth when you cough. Stay home if you’re sick.

CORONAVIRUS

Gov. Henry McMaster issued an Executive Order on Sunday extending the State of Emergency for another 15 days until April 27. The order also maintains all previous Executive Orders to date. On Thursday, the governor modified one previous order and has lifted the restrictions on public boat ramps and waterways.

McMaster announced that his administration has been working on a revitalization plan known as “Accelerate South Carolina.” It will focus on best practices to get the state’s economy started again. The working group will include representatives from manufacturing, tourism, hospitality, agribusiness, state agencies and members of the General Assembly. He will provide more information on this next week.

Although South Carolina is not expecting to see a peak in COVID-19 cases until late April or early May, the governor remains hopeful some businesses will begin to reopen in early to mid-May. He noted that all decisions will be based on the science and data and in keeping with White House guidelines. He remains optimistic and said, “The end is in sight.”

The Governor’s current restrictions, including the “Home or Work Order,” remain in place.

The governor previously issued the following Executive Orders:

Executive Order 2020-21, which includes a mandatory “Home or Work” order and mandates capacity limitations to retail businesses still operating.

Executive Order 2020-22, authorizing support payments for employers and directs the Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) to interpret furloughed employees as being unemployed for the purpose of unemployment compensation.

Executive Order 2020-16, closing public access to all beaches and access to all public boat ramps and landings on all lakes, rivers and waterways (since modified).

Executive Order 2020-17, which orders the closure of non-essential businesses throughout the state in order to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Executive Order 2020-09 states all South Carolina public schools will remain closed for the month of April. This order applies to all K-12 schools and the state’s public colleges, universities and technical colleges. They encouraged all institutions to maintain existing plans to provide instruction through virtual learning.

Business owners who have a question as to whether they qualify as essential should complete the Essential Business Clarification form from the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Questions can also be sent to covid19sc@sccommerce.com, or business representatives can call 803.734.2873.

The Medical University of South Carolina is offering free Telehealth consultations and screenings for anyone in South Carolina experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms. New and existing patients should use the promo code COVID19.

For more information from DHEC on the virus, go here. The DHEC Care Line is available to provide general information about COVID-19 by calling 855.472.3432 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., seven days per week.

Other helpful links:

The Emergency Management Division provides links to important information, including the South Carolina Department on Aging, SC Childcare, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, the Department of Revenue and the South Carolina Department of Insurance.

Small business information and assistance can be found at the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Information for parents, teachers and students regarding statewide school closures can be found at the SC Department of Education.

For resources that might be beneficial to your organization’s preparedness efforts, visit the COVID-19 Resources page of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd PA.

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM: FREE WEBINAR

The Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd law firm will present a FREE webinar on the Paycheck Protection Program on Monday, April 20, from 11 a.m.-noon. Will Johnson and Perry MacLennan will present.

The Small Business Administration announced Thursday that it has reached the $349 billion cap in approved loans under the Paycheck Protection Program and has suspended the intake of new applications. Many loans that have received SBA approval have not yet closed and received funding.

For all loans approved under the PPP, Will and Perry will focus on eligible uses of loan funds and key issues involved in determining the loan forgiveness amount, including strategies for maximizing the loan forgiveness amount. They also anticipate that Congress will provide significant additional funding for the program, so eligible entities that have not yet applied would be well-advised to prepare their applications and be ready to submit as soon as the program is reopened.

Please click here to register for this complimentary event.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The General Assembly is not currently meeting in session due to the pandemic. The current legislative session is scheduled to adjourn Sine Die on May 14.

The General Assembly returned to Columbia for one day on Wednesday, April 8, in what was supposed to be a brief session to adopt an agreed-upon Continuing Resolution to provide for the continued operation of state government beginning July 1, since a state budget has not yet been adopted. While both chambers did in fact pass a CR, the Senate amended the plan after five hours of debate over the fate of state-owned utility Santee Cooper, after the House had adopted its version, adjourned and returned home.

As a result, there is no mechanism in place for the continued operation of state government beyond June 30, when the fiscal year ends. The chambers have also not agreed to the adoption of a Sine Die Resolution that would allow the bodies to return to Columbia at any time after the May 14 adjournment date.

Since the Senate amended the Continuing Resolution, the House must now return to Columbia again to concur with the amendment for it to take effect and to also address a Sine Die Resolution passed by the Senate. Or, the Senate could return and adopt the previously passed House version of the CR. If neither return, the governor has the option to call them back after May 14 for a Special Session.

Governor Henry McMaster wrote to the leadership of the House and Senate on Thursday, April 16, offering such a solution. He noted the state is not expected to peak with COVID-19 until around May 1 and suggested it would be unsafe for the General Assembly to return prior to May 14. He is offering to call them back in for a Special Session in June, at a date and time of their choosing, for the purpose of passing a Continuing Resolution for the operation of state government.