Rep. HERBKERSMAN proposes the following Amendment No. to H.5150 as Passed By The House

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EXPLANATION: Tranfer funds held in the COVID-19 Response Reserve Account to MUSC for clinical trial.

Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 117, GENERAL PROVISIONS, page 544, after line 16, by adding an appropriately numbered proviso to read:

/(GP: COVID-19 Research) From the funds held in the COVID-19 Response Reserve Account established pursuant to Act 135 of 2020, an amount not to exceed $27,650,000 may be transferred to the Medical University of South Carolina to conduct a clinical trial for an investigational drug to be used in the treatment of COVID-19. Funding is to be made in two phases, Phase I of which must be limited to an amount not to exceed $13,063,639, and Phase II of which must be limited to an amount not to exceed $14,586,361. These transfers are subject to direction by the Governor, and review and comment by the Joint Bond Review Committee, for each phase of the clinical trial. Without limitation, funding for Phase I of the clinical trial is contingent upon establishment of outcome measures against which efficacy of the treatment will be assessed, and which must be included in the University's request to the Governor for consideration of the proposed expenditure. Without limitation, funding for Phase II of the clinical trial is contingent upon outcomes clearly demonstrating success of Phase I of the clinical trial. The University may collaborate with other public and private entities in conducting the clinical trial; provided, however, that the University must reserve its sole accountability and responsibility for conduct of the clinical trial and management of the funding to ensure that funds are expended only for the public purpose of promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this State. The University must establish a schedule of expenditure projections for each phase of the clinical trial, and must provide periodic reports to the Governor and the Joint Bond Review Committee in such form and at such times as each may prescribe. In addition to the foregoing, the University must provide to the Governor and the Joint Bond Review Committee an accounting of the expenditures for each phase of the clinical trial as soon as practicable following the earlier of conclusion of each phase of the clinical trial or exhaustion of the funding applicable thereto. In the event that any funds remain unexpended at the conclusion of either phase of the clinical trial, this authorization must lapse to the extent of the unexpended funds, and such unexpended funds must revert to their original funding source, with availability for expenditure in accordance with their original statutory purpose. /

Amend totals and titles to conform.