Lawmakers have approved spending millions on the state’s emergency corona virus response.

Gov. Henry McMaster asked lawmakers to give the state Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) $45 million.

McMaster recommended that the money be deducted from a small, 1-time tax cut next year in a taxpayer credit.

This was proposed by the House in its $32.3 billion spending plan for fiscal 2020-21.

Under the House plan, the $100 per taxpayer credit would be covered with $945.5 million in non-recurring revenue. It is part of an estimated  $1.8 billion-plus surplus.

More than $51 million in special projects have been proposed by House leaders in earmarks although state agencies didn’t request the money.

State records show that DHEC ended last fiscal year with a $105.8 million surplus.

Year-end reserves averaged nearly $97 million in each of the previous 4 years. 

This week, DHEC had a nearly $213.3 million in cash, according to state comptroller general and budget records.

DHEC’s total budget for this fiscal year, which includes state, federal and other funds, is $651.9 million. For fiscal 2021, the total budget would be $670.3 million under the House spending plan, which is now in the Senate.

Included in the proposed DHEC budget is $116 million for infectious-disease prevention. Last week, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it was awarding $8.9 million to South Carolina to combat corona virus.

More on this use of taxpayers' money in Thursday's Chronicle.

Read more about the $45 million in taxpayer money going DHEC here.