A state Senate subcommittee has approved a bill that would cancel the minibottle requirement, ending 58 liquor dealers' monopoly on minibottle sales and easing regulation.

The bill, calling for a referendum in 2004 and setting out how to implement the change, is expected to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.

Under the current system, bars and restaurants are required to buy their liquor from 58 authorized dealers statewide.

State Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, said restaurant owners in small towns that don't have the licensed minibottle dealers should not have to travel to another county to buy their liquor.

The plan is to offer bars the choice of the 1.7-ounce minibottles or big bottles, or both. A 5 percent cocktail tax would be collected on the sale of bottles of all sizes, to make up for the loss of the special minibottle tax.

The plan also allows individuals to buy minibottles in liquor stores, as is the practice in many other states. For enforcement purposes, minibottles currently are sold only to licensed bars.

Bills Would Require Pe For Schoolkids

Slimmer, healthier kids is the goal of legislation making its way through the S.C. Senate.

The bill would require all food offered to students on school grounds to comply with the National School Lunch Act. It would get rid of fatty, high-calorie snack foods in most vending machines.

Another bill requires 150 minutes of physical education for students in grades K-8. Under the bill, at least 100 minutes must be physical activity that allows for interaction between students, and school districts could not reduce recess periods to make room for physical education time.

Subcommittee OKs exemption for SPA

The State Ports Authority could keep rates negotiated with customers secret under a bill approved by a Senate subcommittee on Thursday.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Harrison, R-Richland, had asked for the agency to be exempt from changes to the state Freedom of Information Act that would require agencies to disclose information about funds and grants that help economic growth.

The bill, which was created last year in the wake of scandals at the state Commerce Department, also would require agencies to disclose details of agreements once deals are completed.

Nancy Bloodgood, an attorney representing the Ports Authority, said revealing the rates would have a "significant detrimental effect on our competitiveness."

Bill Rogers, executive director of the S.C. Press Association, said he's concerned there will be no public oversight of the Ports Authority under the bill.