SLC - Serving the South

Research by Roger Moore

Policy Analysis | April 2021

Coronavirus Impacts on State Legislatures: 2021

Mikko Lindberg, Roger Moore, Nick Bowman, Cody Allen, and Amanda Budd

Last updated: April 15, 2021

As of April 15, 2021, approximately 2.9 million people worldwide, including 548,000 Americans, have died from the coronavirus pandemic. On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an emergency use authorization for Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine. On December 18, 2020, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for the Moderna vaccine for use in individuals 18 or older. On February 27, 2021, the FDA issued an emergency use authorization for Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a recommended schedule for states to administer these vaccines. As of April 15, approximately 123 million vaccinations have been administered in the United States. Against this backdrop, Southern legislatures are convening for their 2021 legislative sessions.

This SLC Policy Analysis, updated as new measures are implemented, tracks the special measures that Southern legislatures are adopting in order to meet safely in 2021.

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Policy Analysis | April 2021

Appropriations and Revenue Committee Structures in the South

Nick Bowman and Roger Moore

The appropriation of state funds through the budget and regulation of state revenue collections are two of the most critical tasks of state legislatures. The budget sets the state's goals and priorities for the next fiscal year or biennium, while tax rates ensure that the state has sufficient revenue to meet those goals. Consequently, legislative committees dedicated to appropriations and revenue have an essential role in this process. State legislatures have numerous structures for appropriations and revenue committees. Some chambers have an Appropriations Committee and a Ways and Means Committee, while others have multiple committees dedicated to separate appropriations categories. This report examines the different appropriations and revenue committee structures in the South.

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Webinar | April 2021

The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Suicide Trends

Roger Moore

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused anxiety, isolation and economic pain for millions of people, leading to a deterioration in mental health. According to a survey released in August 2020 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 40 percent of respondents reported having symptoms of anxiety or depression or increased substance abuse, in addition to other related struggles, as a result of the pandemic. Meanwhile, more than 10 percent reported seriously considering suicide in the preceding 30 days. This program reviews the immediate and long-term implications of the pandemic for mental health and suicide trends and examines what states can do to address this critical public health issue.

Presentations:

Rashon Lane, Behavioral Scientist, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia
Rebecca Leeb, Ph.D., Health Scientist/Epidemiologist, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia