Bill Text: SC H4770 | 2021-2022 | 124th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: COVID at-home testing
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-12 - Referred to Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs [H4770 Detail]
Download: South_Carolina-2021-H4770-Introduced.html
A JOINT RESOLUTION
TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO ESTABLISH THE COVID-19 AT-HOME TESTING DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM, TO SET FORTH THE PROGRAM'S REQUIREMENTS, TO DEFINE TERMS, AND TO PROVIDE A SUNSET PROVISION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. This joint resolution may be known and cited as the "COVID-19 At-Home Testing Act."
SECTION 2. (A) The COVID-19 At-Home Testing Distribution Program is established within the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
(B) The department shall acquire COVID-19 at-home tests for distribution to counties as provided in this SECTION.
(C) No later than thirty days after the effective date of this SECTION, the department shall receive applications from counties for COVID-19 at-home tests. An application by a county pursuant to this subsection must include the number of COVID-19 at-home tests requested and a proposed distribution plan.
(D) No later than forty-five days after the effective date of this SECTION, the department shall review and approve applications submitted pursuant to subsection (C).
(E) The department shall begin distributing COVID-19 at-home tests to approved counties no later than sixty days after the effective date of this SECTION.
(F) A county that receives COVID-19 at-home tests pursuant to this SECTION may distribute the tests to individuals in the county at publicly accessible mobile testing sites and nontraditional testing sites, including county buildings, municipal buildings, libraries, community centers, police stations, and fire stations. A county shall publicize the distribution locations.
(G) An individual that receives a COVID-19 at-home test from a county pursuant to this SECTION may not resell the test.
(H) The department shall use no less than ten million dollars of funds available to the department for the purposes of the program, including funding appropriated by the federal government for COVID testing and response.
(I) For purposes of this SECTION:
(1) "COVID-19" means a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus discovered in 2019, or a variant of that disease.
(2) "COVID-19 at-home tests" means materials or devices for detecting COVID-19 infection, which have received Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization for self-testing without the need to ship samples to a lab or for a prescription from a health care provider.
(3) "Department" means the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
(4) "Program" means the COVID-19 At-Home Testing Distribution Program.
SECTION 3. This joint resolution shall expire December 31, 2022.
SECTION 4. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
