Senator DAVIS proposed the following amendment (516R007.SP.TD):
Amend the joint resolution, as and if amended, by striking all after the title and inserting:
/Whereas, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many school districts to replace in-person classroom instruction with virtual instruction; and
Whereas, virtual instruction is no substitute for in-person classroom instruction; and
Whereas, a COVID-19 vaccine is currently available for distribution in this State for mission-critical workers; and
Whereas, certified teachers and school support staff should be identified as mission-critical because of the vital role they play in the education and development of our state's children; and
Whereas, vaccinating certified teachers and school support staff must not take away any vaccine supply from other mission-critical workers and individuals; and
Whereas, vaccinating certified teachers and school support staff must not necessitate the cancellation of vaccination appointments that individuals eligible to receive the vaccine have scheduled with a health care provider; and
Whereas, it is imperative that, within the constraints imposed by the preceding clause, we return students to in-person, five-day classroom instruction as quickly and safely as possible while providing a safe environment for our certified teachers and school support staff. Now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION1. (A). Upon the effective date of this joint resolution, the Department of Health and Environmental Control shall identify certified teachers and school support staff, as defined by the Department of Education, as mission-critical workers and individuals who are eligible for vaccination under Phase 1a of the South Carolina COVID-19 Vaccination Plan.
(B) The Department of Health and Environmental Control, in coordination with the Department of Education and local school districts, shall implement a plan that will offer the opportunity to certified teachers and school support staff to be fully vaccinated during a time period beginning at seven o'clock a.m. on Monday, March 15, 2021 and ending at seven o'clock p.m. on Monday, March 22, 2021.
(C) After certified teachers and support staff have been offered the opportunity to be fully vaccinated, every school district must offer five-day, in-person classroom instruction to students.
(D) Notwithstanding subsection (B), the Department of Health and Environmental Control must ensure that all South Carolina residents who are eligible under Phase 1a of the South Carolina COVID-19 Vaccination Plan who scheduled an appointment with a healthcare provider to receive either a first or second dose of the vaccine, do not have those scheduled appointments canceled or delayed, except to the extent that such cancellations or delays are consented to by said residents in accordance with subsection (E) as of the effective date of this joint resolution.
(E) Commencing on the effective date of this joint resolution, each health care provider in the State that has scheduled first-dose vaccinations for individuals shall contact those individuals and inquire as to whether they would be willing to delay their first-dose appointments in order to facilitate a supply of doses for vaccinations to certified teachers and school support staff as provided in subsection (B), provided, however, that this obligation shall terminate upon the Department of Health and Environmental Control's certification in accordance with subsection (F) that a sufficient number of doses have been secured to provide the vaccinations referenced in subsection (B).
(F) The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall certify when a sufficient number of doses are available to effect the vaccinations referenced in subsection (B)."
SECTION2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor. /