A revived version of what some called the Hog Farm Bill now proposes to grant all business and industry freedom from local regulations that are stricter than state rules.

The measure, now being called the "Right to Do Business" bill, is up for hearings before a Senate subcommittee Thursday.

The sponsors of the measure that brought strong reaction from the tourism industry when it was first raised two years ago are two Upstate senators.

Sen. Danny Verdin, R- Laurens, owner of a farm and garden store, is the lead sponsor. The co-sponsor is Sen. Kevin Bryant, R-Anderson, a pharmacist.

Bryant said the agriculture community is "getting frustrated with government trying to regulate them out of business."

He said he is not sure how the bill's protections for other business and industry would affect zoning regulations controlling locations for operations such as sexually oriented businesses, tattooing and piercing. But he said he is open to discussion on those issues.

The previous bill was sponsored by Rep. Billy Witherspoon, R-Conway.

Backers called it the "Right to Farm" bill. Opponents called it the Hog Farm Bill.

The measure, a reaction to Darlington County's passage of an ordinance limiting factory hog-farm operations, said agricultural activities could not have any regulations imposed on them by local governments that were more restrictive than state regulations.

The Council of Myrtle Beach Organizations joined cities, counties and conservation organizations to fight the bill.

Opponents said it would prevent zoning and land-use regulations to control hog farms and keep them away from residences and businesses. The bill narrowly passed the House but died in the Senate.

Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce President Brad Dean said Monday that he is surprised the issue is being taken up and does not know what position the organization will take.

"We just did not see this thing coming back at all," he said.

The chamber will have to study the bill for its effects on tourism, Dean said.

Gary Spires, legislative affairs director for the S.C. Farm Bureau, the major force behind the bill, said it has no effect on local zoning or land-use rules.

The state already regulates livestock operations, including the setback distances from other property that hog-farm opponents were concerned about, Spires said.

The bill means "counties cannot add on more regulations when siting facilities," he said.

As an example of what the bill would prevent, Spires said Marlboro County recently proposed to add setbacks to livestock-farm permits.

Existing state rules eliminate 78 percent of the agricultural land for livestock use, Spires said. The county's ordinance would eliminate 99 percent.

The Farm Bureau helped defeat the proposal in Marlboro County, Spires said.

He also said the proposal should not cause any worry about downstream pollution, an issue when hog-farm regulations were under debate.

Georgetown County residents were especially concerned with proposals for new factory hog farms on tributaries of the Great Pee Dee River, where the city gets its drinking water. Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority also takes water from a branch of the Great Pee Dee.

Spires said the state hog-farm regulations already made it "virtually impossible" to build new facilities.

Agriculture needs the special protection from local regulations on livestock farming because "it is an opportunity for some of our farmers to diversify," Spires said.