Gov. Henry McMaster has extended the state of emergency for South Carolina for another 15 days as the state continues to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
McMaster signed the measure Wednesday, meaning it will last through Thursday, June 11. At that time, the governor would then have the option of extending it further.
By law, South Carolina governors can only issue a state of emergency in 15 day increments, and must decided at the end of them if they're still necessary. He issued his first state of emergency to deal with the pandemic back on March 13.
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McMaster first issued a state of emergency back on March 13. The statutory power allows McMaster to do things such as call up the National Guard for response, suspend regulations, apply for federal assistance, and put in rules or regulations to deal with the emergency. The state's price gouging law, for instance, only goes into effect during a state of emergency.
This is the sixth state of emergency McMaster has issued.