Friday 5 -10-1-21

Happy October! Here are a few articles you may have missed this week. Take a few minutes and get smarter before church coffee hour this Sunday…

1. No Masks for Greenville County Schools. Though a Federal court ruled on Tuesday that the widely contested budget proviso 1.108 cannot prohibit school districts from implementing and enforcing mask mandates, Greenville County Schools announced Friday that they will not be requiring masks at this time.
2. Failure not an Option. South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham urged his Republican colleagues to set aside their political differences and work with Democrats this week to pass a massive $1 trillion infrastructure package, saying the state’s aging roads and bridges, particularly along the coast, cannot afford to wait.
3. Lowcountry fights for Savannah River Site Funds. Senators from the three counties impacted by the Savannah River Site plutonium plant gave testimony to the Senate subcommittee this week, arguing that the majority of the money should be spent on “transformative” education and job creation site over Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell counties.
4. Consumer Spending Up, Despite Inflation. The US Department of Commerce reported on Friday that US Consumer spending is up, a positive sign for economic recovery as we head into Fall. Personal spending rose 0.8%, and wages rose 0.2% during the month of August.
5. Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate Guidance Issued. The Federal Government released guidance over the weekend, and follow up guidance earlier today. While this may not impact many of our members directly, it does give an indication of what the full OSHA guidance may look like upon its release.

Bonus: “I’m Just a Bill…” If you’ve ever joined one of our Advocacy 101 sessions, you know we’re big fans of Schoolhouse Rock. Here’s how the process REALLY works in 2021.