This page links to South Carolina state and local government websites containing legal information related to coronavirus or COVID-19 response.
Updated April 9, 2020.
For public health updates on coronavirus:
For legal information on coronavirus response at the federal level, or from other states:
How to ask a librarian
For guidance navigating resources listed here, or help finding something different, please use:
Law Library Chat during available hours, or
email lawref@law.sc.edu.
See the complete list of SC laws enacted in 2020.
For legislation that was proposed but not enacted, enter a search term such as coronavirus here: legislation search.
Enacted legislation:
Act No. 117 — Emergency Prescription Refills — full text, legislative history — effective March 24, 2020
Act No. 116 — COVID-19; funding for DHEC — full text, legislative history — effective March 19, 2020
See the full list of Governor McMaster's executive orders, including text-readable PDFs after a delay.
|
Date |
Number |
Subject |
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April 7 |
Authorization for COVID-19 Support Payments by Employers |
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|
April 6 |
Home or Work Order |
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|
April 3 |
Lodging & Travel Restrictions for Individuals from High-Risk Areas |
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April 3 |
Closure of Additional Non-Essential Businesses |
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March 31 |
Closure of Non-Essential Businesses |
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March 30 |
Emergency Access Restrictions for Public Beaches & Waters Due to COVID-19 Pandemic |
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March 28 |
State of Emergency Due to COVID-19 Pandemic |
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March 27 |
Self-Quarantine for Individuals from High-Risk Areas |
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March 23 |
Authorizing Law Enforcement to Preserve Public Health |
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March 21 |
Regulatory Flexibility to Facilitate “Social Distancing” |
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March 19 |
Directing Additional Emergency Measures Due to COVID-19 |
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March 17 |
Directing Additional Emergency Measures Due to COVID-19 |
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March 15 |
Closing Schools, Other Provisions in Response to COVID-19 |
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March 13 |
Declaring State of Emergency in Response to COVID-19 |
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March 11 |
Lifting Transportation Restrictions in Response to COVID-19 |
See the full list of South Carolina Judicial Department orders and announcements, or only those relating to COVID-19, including local orders.
|
Date and link to text |
Title of memo or order having statewide effect |
| April 6, 2020 |
Judicial Branch Moves to Remote Operations |
| April 3, 2020 |
Operation of the Trial Courts During the Coronavirus Emergency |
| April 2, 2020 |
Statement on Evictions and Foreclosures from Chief Justice Beatty |
| March 31, 2020 |
S.C. Judicial Branch Coronavirus Web Page |
| March 27, 2020 |
Supplemental Guidance Regarding Lawyer and Judicial Disciplinary Matters During the Coronavirus Emergency |
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Appellate Court Operations During Coronavirus Emergency |
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Mediation Settlement Conferences |
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Statewide Evictions and Foreclosures |
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Statewide Family Court Order |
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Family Court Schedule and Judicial Travel |
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Circuit Court Schedule and Judicial Travel |
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Statewide Evictions |
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Waiver of Distance Learning Limitations for 2019-2020 Continuing Legal Education Reporting Year |
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Trial Courts Coronavirus Memo |
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Summary Courts Coronavirus Memo |
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Statewide Family Court Order |
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Access to the Supreme Court Building |
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Court of Appeals Oral Argument |
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|
Coronavirus (COVID-19 Preparation) |
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Date and link to text |
Title of memo or order affecting one county |
|
Kershaw County Family Court Proceedings |
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|
Richland County Family Court Proceedings |
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Richland County Administrative Order |
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|
Statement from Chief Justice Beatty |
See the full list of SC Attorney General opinions.
|
Date and link to text |
Title |
|
Updated opinion with additional citations concerning the extraordinary powers of the Governor during a state of emergency. This updated opinion is based upon a new declaration of emergency by the Governor, dated March 28, 2020. |
|
|
Opinion on the enforcement of Section 16-7-10 in light of Executive Order 2020-13. |
South Carolina Department of Administration
See Agency COVID-19 Guidance, including HR guidance and IT guidance.
South Carolina Department of Commerce
See COVID-19 Business Resource Center, including information on SBA loans.
April 1, 2020 COVID-19 Guidance for Nonessential Businesses
April 1, 2020 Clarification of Business Designation Form
South Carolina Department of Corrections
See News.
South Carolina Department of Education (DOE)
See newsroom updates, including guidance memoranda to schools and districts
March 20, 2020 Request for waiver of certain ESEA requirements (Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended)
South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW)
See updates at the COVID-19 Resource Hub.
April 3, 2020 Benefits Paid and More on the Way (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance)
March 27, 2020 Employment and Workforce Executive Director Dan Ellzey’s Statement February 2020 Employment Situation
March 19, 2020 Employment and Workforce to waive the waiting week for South Carolinians seeking Unemployment Benefits due to COVID-19 as part of Executive Order
March 19, 2020 Employment and Workforce waives the weekly search requirement for individuals who are unemployed due to COVID-19 and extends the tax deadline for employers
March 18, 2020 Employment and Workforce Executive Director Dan Ellzey’s Statement Regarding Unemployment Benefits and COVID-19
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)
See the COVID-19 page or the list of all DHEC Response Activities; only guidance documents are included below.
undated Higher Education Guidance on Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19
undated School Guidance on Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19
March 29, 2020 Testing Prioritization for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Laboratory Testing and Case Reporting
March 27, 2020 Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers
March 24, 2020 Interim Guidance for COVID-19 for Correctional Facilities
March 21, 2020 DHEC Guidance on the Discontinuation of Isolation and Quarantine & DHEC Guidance on the Management of Healthcare Personnel (HCPs) who are positive for COVID-19 or exposed to COVID-19 patients
March 16, 2020 Updated Guidance DHEC Guidance on Patient COVID-19 Testing & CDC Information and Guidance about Global Travel on Cruise Ships, Including River Cruises, due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
March 13, 2020 Updated Guidance for COVID-19 Testing and Reporting in South Carolina
March 12, 2020 Updated and Interim Guidance for SC Healthcare Providers for Testing for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
March 5, 2020 Updated and Interim Guidance for SC Healthcare Providers on Evaluating Patients and Testing for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
February 28, 2020 Update and Interim Guidance on Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
South Carolina Department of Insurance (DOI)
See updates at COVID-19.
April 2, 2020 — Bulletin Number 2020-03 — Temporary Producer Licenses for New Applicants; Extension of Compliance
March 25, 2020 — Bulletin Number 2020-02 — Assistance for Insureds, Claimants and Covered Persons Directly Impacted by COVID-19
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (LLR)
See updates at Important Information about Coronavirus, including links to professional boards expediting licensure.
undated License Renewal Period Extended
March 23, 2020 Interim Guidance - N95 Respirator Use in Patient Care
South Carolina Department of Revenue (DOR)
See updates at Emergencies.
March 23, 2020 — SC Information Letter #20-4 — Extended Tax Relief Restated and Updated - Persons and Businesses Affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19) (All Taxes)
March 21, 2020 — SC Information Letter #20-5 — Curbside Delivery or Pick-Up Area for Beer and Wine – Temporary Authorization Due to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) State of Emergency (Alcoholic Beverage Licensing)
March 17, 2020 — SC Information Letter #20-3 — Tax Relief for Persons and Businesses Impacted by Coronavirus (COVID-19)
South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS)
See COVID-19 Announcements relating to childcare facilities.
South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD)
See timeline and latest news at scemd.org, and business-related updates at the Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center.
State Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
March 19, 2020 — Forensic Services Laboratory Customer Notice 2020-02 — Evidence Submission Procedures COVID-19 Contingency Plan
undated, refers to the March 17 Executive Order — SLED Guidance on the Enforcement of Executive Order 2020-10
New COVID-19 ordinances are likely to be found on, or linked from, the websites of counties or municipalities.
Later on, as COVID-19 ordinances are codified, they are likely to be found in one of these two databases that are free to use.
The South Carolina Association of Counties and the Municipal Association of South Carolina are not government sources, but their guidance to counties and municipalities may be of interest.
COVID-19-related ordinances of three cities—Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville—are included below.
City of Charleston
See list of ordinances on Municode.
March 24, 2020 — 2020-042 — Emergency Ordinance on Stay at Home
March 19, 2020 — 2020-039(a) — amending 2020-039
March 16, 2020 — 2020-040 — Emergency Ordinance to Establish in Furtherance of Health, Public Safety and Welfare, an Emergency Ordinance Temporarily Suspending the Requirements of City Code Section 2-23(f) Requiring the Physical Presence of Councilmembers at City Council Meetings and Committee Meetings to Permit Participation at these Events Telephonically or by Video Conferencing or Other Virtual Means to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
March 16, 2020 — 2020-039 — Emergency Ordinance to Establish in Furtherance of Health, Public Safety and Welfare, an Emergency Ordinance Temporarily Prohibiting Gatherings of 50 People or More in Public Indoor Establishments in the City of Charleston to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
March 16, 2020 — 2020-038 — Emergency Ordinance to Establish in Furtherance of the Public Safety and Welfare an Emergency Ordinance Prohibiting Consumer Price Gouging in the City of Charleston
City of Columbia
See 2020 Ordinances and Resolutions.
March 26, 2020 — 2020-034 — An Emergency Order Declaring a Stay Home Stay Safe for the City of Columbia, South Carolina
March 17, 2020 — 2020-032 — An Emergency Ordinance to Temporarily Suspend the Normal Operating Procedures of City of Columbia Boards and Commissions Meetings
March 17, 2020 — 2020-031 — An Emergency Order Declaring a State of Emergency for the City of Columbia, South Carolina (Curfew) — repealed by ordinance 2020-034
March 17, 2020 — 2020-030 — Enacting Temporary Waiver of Business License Fees through May 15, 2020
March 17, 2020 — 2020-029 — Emergency Order to Temporarily Close all Public Parks and Facilities to Protect the Health, Safety and Welfare of our Residents and Visitors
March 10, 2020 — 2020-027 — An Emergency Ordinance to temporarily suspend the normal operating procedures of City Council Meetings
City of Greenville
See updates at COVID-19 Emergency Information
April 3, 2020 — 2020-36 — An Emergency Ordinance urging the Governor to issue a statewide executive order requiring citizens to stay at home, enacting City-wide measures to ensure social distancing practices at certain businesses, and matters related thereto
March 18, 2020 — 2020-24 — An Emergency Ordinance to temporarily restrict operations of restaurants, bars, and breweries; defer certain business license payments; suspend normal operating procedures for city boards and commissions; restrict city issued permits for gatherings of a certain size; and matters related thereto
March 17, 2020 — 2020-01 — A Proclamation