NEWS BRIEFS: State seeks to expedite vaccine rollout

Staff reports  |  State lawmakers may spend more than $200 million to help with vaccine distribution and build up vaccine distribution capacity in South Carolina, The State newspaper reported Friday.  

According to a resolution in the House Ways and Means Committee, lawmakers would appropriate $108 million from the state’s Contingency Reserve Fund to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Medical University of South Carolina to expand statewide vaccination capacity quickly and continue to administer the state’s testing plan for COVID-19.  The resolution calls for another $100 million to be placed in a vaccine reserve account to help pay for administration of the vaccine.  Read the resolution.

In other recent news:

State’s prison population drops. More than a decade ago, South Carolina struggled with overcrowded prisons, often bumping against a federal limit in the number of prisoners it could incarcerate.  But as Statehouse Report’s Rodney Welch explains, the state has cut its inmate population by more than 30 percent in the last decade — from 24,000 prisoners housed in the state system to just under 16,000.  Read what’s going on.

Ports’ 2021 forecast improves.  The State Ports Authority is projecting a rosier year after several months of strong volumes and a continued rebound.  According to a press release, the agency anticipates handling 1.385 million pier containers in fiscal year 2021, which ends June 30. This is up from the original projection of 1.235 million pier containers and, if achieved, would surpass the port’s 2019 fiscal record of 1.364 million pier containers handled.

S.C.’s Harrison becomes DNC chair. The Democratic National Committee elected Jaime Harrison of South Carolina as chair Thursday, signifying early alignment between newly inaugurated President Joe Biden and party leaders. More: CNN.

Harriford, Rezaeerod join Biden administration.  Columbia native Scott Harrifod is the new liaison between the Biden White House and the U.S. Small Business Administration.  Charleston native Paniz Rezaeerod will serve as deputy director of congressional affairs for the U.S. Department of Interior.  More:  The Post and Courier.

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