COLUMBIA - Several pieces of state senators' efforts to reform property taxes are on their way to the Senate floor.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday unanimously passed up three bills that would amend the state constitution.

One bill would make so-called point-of-sale reassessment the default system statewide. Under that method, property would be reassessed only when sold, inherited or substantially improved. But the amendment allows counties to choose from other reassessment options provided by the General Assembly - an option some tax groups oppose.

"We can't live with the cafeteria plan," said Emerson Read, a Charleston resident and chairman of the Low Country Tax Elimination Committee. "We want a point-of-sale, period."

Another proposal would cap local tax rates. Increases would be limited to the state's personal income growth, except in specified situations. Local governments could get more money through a public vote.

A third amendment would require that if governments must raise taxes because of a debt from the previous year, a court order, or a "catastrophic event," such as a natural disaster or terrorist attack, then tax bills must list those amounts separately.

The bills are part of the General Assembly's efforts to cut property taxes, which homeowners across the state are demanding. Subcommittees in the House and Senate have been meeting on the issue for months to come up with a plan for the legislative session that starts next week.

The bills discussed Wednesday do not address legislators' ideas to cut property taxes by increasing the state sales tax, a key part of the debate.

The Senate will wait on House plans to address that. The state constitution requires that any legislation that affects state revenue come from the House.

"We want all the technical stuff out of the way," said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, who is also chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "The fight is still ahead."