Senators met for about an hour Thursday before adjourning the session and allowing a group of senators opposed to the legislation to maintain their possession of the floor.

A primary seat belt law would allow police to stop and ticket a motorist for not wearing a seat belt.

The fine would be $25 and would go up to $40 if a child younger than 18 were unrestrained.

South Carolina now has a secondary seat belt law, which allows law enforcement officers to ticket motorists for seat belt violations only after they are pulled over for another offense.

If passed, the measure would head to the governor for final approval before becoming law.

For five weeks, opponents of the measure, led by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, have stymied any vote on the measure through filibustering.

While many senators agree the bill will never pass, supporters of the measure are not yet ready to give up.

The Senate will take the matter up next week, at which time the stalemate likely will continue.

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