“I think there’s a lot of us who wouldn’t mind doing that; a lot of taxpayers back home who wouldn’t mind us doing that.”

-- House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, discussing last week’s House recess. While lawmakers have collected their yearly pay, staying home saved an estimated $40,000 in per diems and other costs.

TODAY AT THE STATE HOUSE

For a complete list of legislative meetings, go to http://www.scstatehouse.net/ and click on the “Meetings” link.

IN THE HOUSE: Convenes at 10 a.m. At 9 a.m., 511 Blatt Building, a Judiciary subcommittee discusses a variety of election laws.

IN THE SENATE: Convenes at 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., third-floor conference room in State House, Banking and Insurance Committee discusses consumer identity theft.

THE DAILY BUZZ

MEMORIES

After touting their six-point agenda all session, you would think House Republican leaders could rattle off each item at will.

Well, think again.

Before House Speaker Bobby Harrell’s weekly ETV program — a show during which the House Republican agenda was to be discussed — Harrell and House Majority Leader Jim Merrill, R-Berkeley, could only come up with five of the six items.

There was property tax reform, economic development, spending limits, charter school changes and workers’ compensation reform.

What was missing?

After consulting with caucus staff, they found the missing item just in time for the show to start: eminent domain.

Perhaps they needed to study another press release. Or they could have asked The Buzz. We’ve gotten our share of agenda item talking points this session.

SCHMOOZING

Where and from whom state lawmakers will be able to get free food and drinks

• Breakfast: 8 a.m., 221 Blatt Building, hosted by S.C. Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

• Lunch: Noon, State House grounds, Taste of S.C. luncheon, hosted by the Hospitality Association of S.C.

• Evening reception: 6 p.m., Willy’s and Blue Marlin, hosted by S.C. Junior Golf Foundation.

MORE ON THE WEB

What you can find online at thestate.com

• YGA Today, midday news from inside the State House, is updated several times each legislative day.

• Our searchable list of state employee salaries for workers earning more than $50,000 a year.

A QUICK SPIN AROUND THE STATE HOUSE

A Senate subcommittee advanced a bill requiring hospitals and other surgical facilities to collect data on hospital-acquired infections and state regulators to make the information public.

After hearing a range of testimony, Sen. Mike Fair, R-Greenville, asked interested parties to meet with staff next week and help amend the bill into stronger legislation that would both protect the quality of care in hospitals and enable consumers to make choices based on facility performance.

Fair said he hopes the measure can be sent to the full Senate next week.

The first S.C. report of infections acquired by patients while being treated for other medical problems would be due July 1, 2007, if the bill becomes law.

COASTAL BRIDGES

A House committee agreed to a plan that could allow bridges — and development — on about 250 small coastal islands, mostly in Charleston and Beaufort counties.

The House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee approved regulations letting developers seek permits for bridges to those islands. The regulations are set to take effect next month.

Bridges are important to developing many small islands that dot the state’s tidelands. The S.C. Supreme Court struck down bridge-to-island regulations last year and lawmakers have been discussing new rules.

The vote waters down a stricter set of rules approved this year by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Those rules would have allowed bridge permits to be sought for about 70 fewer islands. The committee also dropped rules that would have required stricter limits on septic tanks for islands that receive bridge permits and are developed.

SMOKING BAN

The House put off debate on a proposed smoking ban in restaurants and recreation places.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, didn’t complete the sentence announcing the controversial measure was set to be discussed before he was inundated with requests to move the bill to the contested calendar for broader debate later in the session.

A smoking ban in public places remains a contentious issue in South Carolina, highlighted by competing arguments that smoking is a public health nuisance but also is a matter of personal choice that should have limited government regulation.

HEART CENTER

The House defeated an amendment Tuesday that would have required Lexington Medical Center to open a Level 1 trauma unit.

The amendment, sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Harrison, R-Richland, was offered as a condition for Lexington Medical opening a heart surgery unit.

The move came as the House discussed a Senate amendment attached to a House bill allowing the unit. The change would bypass regulators’ earlier denial of a certificate of need to build.

The House could pick up debate on the bill today.

In other news:

• South Carolina would set up an organized ticket scalping market under legislation heading to the House floor. The bill, approved by the House Judiciary Committee, lets people resell tickets at a markup by working through the entertainment and sports venues and the companies that handle ticket sales.