San Antonio Chamber Of Commerce: Gov Abbott Signs Senate Bill 8, Allocating Federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding

Press release from the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce - News:

2021-11-16

On November 8 Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 8, Allocating Federal American Rescue Plan Act Funding. Senate Bill 8 allocates federal funding that was awarded to Texas and addresses the needs of Texans and the business community as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Included in Senate Bill 8 is: 

• $7.2 billion to the unemployment compensation fund to pay outstanding advances and to bring the balance of the fund to the statuary floor 
• $500 million for broadband infrastructure  
• $180 million for tourism, travel, and the hospitality industry recovery 
• $160 million to address the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) shortfall affecting Crime Victims Assistance grants 
• $378.3 million for critical staffing needs of frontline workers  
• $75 million in support for rural hospitals affected by COVID-19 
• $113 million to support operations and expansion of mental health services for Texas children and families 
• $35 million to upgrade Texas State Veteran Homes 
• $95 million for supplemental funding to food banks in response to COVID-19 

For more information, contact Cacie Madrid, VP of Public Policy at cmadrid@sachamber.org or by phone at (210) 229-2161. 

This press release was produced by the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce - News. The views expressed here are the author’s own.