(Columbia-AP) May 30, 2003 - A six-member conference committee will return to work next week on the state's $5.3 billion budget. Senators adjourned Thursday night after Senate rules scrapped a spending plan that the House had approved.

Senators sent the bill back to conference committee because wording was changed on a budget provision dealing with the state's Palmetto scholarships.

The House had adopted the compromise version of the budget for the coming fiscal year 72-37 Thursday afternoon after it was approved by a conference committee early Thursday morning after an 11-hour, all night meeting.

Legislators had hoped to vote send the plan to Governor Mark Sanford by midnight Thursday in which case he would have had to make budget veto decisions before lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn for the year June 5th.

Legislators had hoped to avoid extending the session. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bobby Harrell says that can't happen now because of "the mess" in the Senate.

An extended legislative session would cost taxpayers $25,000 a day at a time in which state agencies are still trying to cut almost nine percent from their budgets to wrap up the current fiscal year.

Earlier this month House Speaker David Wilkins said, "It is expensive, and money is tight, and I do not want to extend the session, but if we don't have a budget that would the one reason to ask the body to extend the session."

In the compromise version the state's Medicaid programs were spared deep cuts with the help federal money President Bush signed into law Thursday. John Ruoff of advocacy group South Carolina Fair Share says, while low-income residents, disabled and elderly are spared this year, there are concerns the state will again have a large health care gap that will need fixing next year.

State spending on a per-pupil basis in the compromise would have fallen to $1701, the lowest level since the 1995-1996 school year and $500 less than the Board of Economic Advisors says schools need.

Harrell and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman say they don't think the plan will force any layoffs of state workers, but House Minority Leader James Smith of Columbia says local governments will be forced to raise property taxes or lay off 6000 teachers around the state.

updated 8:11am by Chris Rees