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Joint-Sponsor Testimony - State Representative DJ Swearingen on House Bill 169 (March 10th, 2021)

Summary

Joint-sponsor testimony on House Bill 169 from State Representative DJ Swearingen, dated March 10th, 2021, addressed to Chairman Edwards and members of the House Economic and Workforce Development Committee. The testimony states that the bill will set aside money for a grant that can be applied for by bars, restaurants, and lodging businesses. It proposes allocating 125 million dollars for the grant. It states that 67% of hotels will not make it another 6 months without emergency financial assistance and that 29,700 direct hotel jobs (70 percent) and nearly 86,570 supported jobs were lost.

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“Joint-Sponsor Testimony - State Representative DJ Swearingen on House Bill 169 (March 10th, 2021).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2021-03-10-econ-workforce-dev-testimony-hb169sponsorswearingen-de744b88e9/, SHA-256 09051e9377e852034d8776fd531abc5531ad0bd2322b1836396dcdfcd46177fe.

Full text

                                 State Representative DJ Swearingen
                              Joint-Sponsor Testimony on House Bill 169
                                          March 10th, 2021



Chairman Edwards, Vice chair Powell, ranking member Upchurch, , and members of the House Economic
and Workforce Development Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide sponsor testimony
on HB 169. The food service and lodging industry has been hit hard this past year due to Covid-19 and
the lockdown orders that followed. The bill will set aside money for a grant that can applied by bars,
restaurants, and lodging businesses.



As many of you know, the bars, restaurants, and lodging industry has been decimated this past year due
to Covid-19. The government did not allow these business owners and employees to earn a living for
close to a whole calendar year. 67% of hotels will not make it another 6 months given current and
projected travel demand without emergency financial assistance. Business owners have lost their
business and way of life, suffering hits to their credit ratings, savings, and the ability to give their kids a
secure future.



That did not stop at the ownership levels though, tens of thousands of employees were also hit by the
measures to combat Covid-19. Due to COVID-19, 29,700 direct hotel jobs (70 percent) and nearly 86,570
supported jobs were lost. They also lost homes, were evicted, lost their savings, and witnessed a
decrease in their credit rating. Since the businesses were unable to operate during most of the year
2020, it is only right that we and try to lift these industries back up with allocating 125 million dollars for
this grant.



I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this bill in committee today. I will be happy to answer any
questions the committee might have.

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