COLUMBIA - A bill banning state agencies and colleges from hiring outside lobbyists passed the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday on a divided voice vote, signaling that it will have trouble in the full House.

Rep. Jim Merrill, R-Daniel Island, sponsored the bill. It originally banned all lobbying by public agencies including local governments. Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach, is a co-sponsor. Gov. Mark Sanford has asked for the bill.

Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Columbia, the Judiciary chairman, said the proposal should include all agency lobbying instead of banning only outside contractors.

He said the only reason for the change was the thought that such a stringent bill would not pass and it would be better to go for a stricter law to start with, then fall back if necessary.

Merrill said he'd like the bill to apply to all lobbying too, but he supports the compromise version "until such time as we have the guts to address it as a whole."

Merrill held up an article from The Sun News quoting Coastal Carolina University President Ron Ingle as saying the college needs lobbyists because the local delegation is sometimes too busy to help.

Merrill said that is an example of why colleges should not be allowed to hire outside lobbyists. But Rep. John Scott, D-Columbia, said only $1 million was spent on outside lobbyists by agencies last year, so the bill isn't needed.

The measure would force agencies and colleges to hire employees to do the job and spend the same amount of money, Scott argued.

Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston, said colleges don't need lobbyists because "folks up here represent their areas well," and if a college president in his area said what Ingle said, "we'd have a new president in 30 days."

Edge said he is incensed about Ingle's comment because he and other Horry County legislators always have Coastal's priorities in mind. But he said he didn't agree with Altman about getting a new president.

The bill gives colleges an out by letting their foundations hire lobbyists if they wish. Harrison said the foundations, as well as citizen groups that support other agencies, have constitutional rights to lobby legislators.

Coastal hired a lobbying firm for $60,000 that includes former Rep. Mark Kelley of Myrtle Beach as a consultant. Kelley cannot lobby until a year after the end of his term.

Kelley said last week the ban is not a good idea because colleges and agencies will spend more money lobbying with employees.