Sanford is expected to veto some, including a tougher seat belt bill, and sign others, such as a tougher criminal domestic violence law.

Sanford's office says he'll sign the criminal domestic violence legislation today.

When the law takes effect Jan. 1, the minimum fine for a first conviction of domestic violence will double to $1,000 and offenders can get 30 days in jail. That can be suspended if the person completes a counseling program.

A second conviction brings a penalty of up to year in jail and $5,000 in fines, much more than the current 30 days or $500 fine.

That legislation was killed this spring in the House. But an uproar ensued after a Charleston legislator questioned why victims return to abusive relationships. The flap put the legislation on a fast track as Sanford and his wife spoke out in favor of a tougher penalty.

On the other hand, the seat belt bill has no friend in Sanford.

"My struggle is that our country was founded on the notion of personal responsibility and personal judgment," Sanford said. "And that included the freedom to make judgments that were good and bad; some that were destructive, some that were productive."

Wearing seat belts is the correct and smart thing to do, but the bill's $25 fine and lack of accountability in lawsuits doesn't go far enough to foster personal responsibility, Sanford said.

Sanford signed 16 of the pending bills Friday, his spokesman said.

That batch includes sweeter incentives for companies to use state port facilities, new penalties for defacing or illegally removing campaign signs and a low-cost version of a living will -- all of which took effect immediately.

Under the port legislation, manufacturers and other port users can take a $500 tax credit for each job created or up to 2 percent in investment tax credits for new facilities and equipment if they increase their volume through state ports by at least 5 percent. The new law caps the value of the incentive at a total of $8 million for all companies.

Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia have similar incentives. "The only state in the region that didn't have anything like this was South Carolina," State Ports Authority spokesman Byron Miller said.

The campaign sign bill makes it illegal to deface, vandalize, tamper with or remove a lawfully placed political campaign sign before an election.

People who break the law could face fines of up to $100 and up to 30 days in jail.

Sanford also signed a bill that gives end-of-life wishes power even if they are not handled by a lawyer writing a living will.