COLUMBIA -- The 2005 General Assembly has opened for the 116th time.

House and Senate leaders opened the session shortly after midday. Much of their first work is formal and ceremonial, and the two legislative bodies were only scheduled to meet for an hour before adjourning into committees and subcommittees.

House members have been working for several weeks in committees. They've already started work on the state spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. They're also looking at some of the top priorities for Republicans, who control the House, Senate and the governor's mansion, including income tax changes.

The Senate worked on its rules. Gov. Mark Sanford and Republican leaders changed the rules to make it easier to stop filibusters, which they blame for the lack of action on some measures in recent years.

"Obviously, we can pass tort reform or income tax reduction or restructuring, but if we can't get it passed in the Senate, it doesn't become law," House Speaker David Wilkins said.

The Senate's sessions have ended in filibusters for the past two years.

"It's not an attempt on our part to willy-nilly run over the minority. You're still going to have substantive deliberative debate on issues, and I think this sets the framework for that," Sen. Larry Martin said.

Changing the rules is easy on the first day of the two-year General Assembly because it requires only a simple majority vote instead of the two-third vote needed later on.

And the Republicans, with 26 of the chamber's 46 seats, had enough votes Tuesday to routinely defeat amendments offered by Sen. Jake Knotts and a handful of Democrats.

Later in the week, lawmakers are expected to address several bills vetoed by Sanford over the summer. A two-thirds vote is needed in each chamber to override.

WYFF News 4's Myra Ruiz will have the latest on this story at 5 and 6 p.m.