COLUMBIA - Lawmakers' spouses would be banned from holding high-paying utility regulation jobs under a bill passed Thursday by the Senate overhauling the state Public Service Commission.

The bill also would require anyone serving on the commission to have at least a four-year college degree.

The House has passed a similar overhaul bill, but still allows spouses to hold the jobs and requires only a high school diploma or its equivalent.

But senators say that education level is inadequate to handle the complex issues of electric, telecommunication and other utility regulation.

Under the Senate bill, elections will be held for commission seats next year using the new standards, including that candidates have "background of substantial duration" in a field useful to utility regulation and rate issues, such as engineering, statistics or law.

The House bill calls for elections this year and requires only a high school diploma and says the screening committee can consider experience in fields related to PSC work.

Family ties to candidates were the only issue debated Thursday as the Senate bill passed unanimously.

The 25 candidates for the $76,000-a-year jobs include incumbent Commissioner James Atkins, son-in-law of the late Sen. Ed Saleeby, D-Darlington; Dick Richardson, husband of House Ethics Committee Chairwoman Becky Richardson, R-Fort Mill; John Drummond, son of longtime Sen. John Drummond, D-Greenwood, and Dan Hamilton, son of Rep. Glenn Hamilton, R-Greenville.

Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Beaufort, said the Senate's family language singled out Richardson and her spouse. All immediate family members should be excluded from consideration for the jobs, he said. "I think we've got to take a pure view on this one way or the other," Richardson said.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said the exclusions were meant to keep lawmakers from benefiting financially. A spouse would contribute to the lawmaker's household income unlike an adult child or other relative.

The House and Senate will have to work out differences in their versions of the bill in a conference committee.