An S.C. House bill creating tougher standards for driving under the influence is headed to the Senate floor.

The bill would lower the legal blood-alcohol limit for drunken driving convictions from the current 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent.

The state faces a federal deadline to get the bill on the books. Without it, federal highway funds would be withheld beginning in October, said state Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens.

"These are funds that are already in the pipeline that we are counting on to do construction projects," Martin said.

In a separate bill, lawmakers increased fines for drunken-driving convictions. First-time conviction fines would increase to $400, up $100.

Single-voting system plan gains approval

An S.C. House bill requiring counties to use a uniform voting machine system is headed to the Senate floor.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill Tuesday. It will give counties a choice of several types of electronic voting systems that would be paid for with federal money.

Under the Help America Vote Act, $3.9 billion in federal money goes to states to update voting systems or improve voter education and poll worker training. South Carolina must match 5 percent of the federal funds during the next three years to receive the money.

The committee also agreed that the state's purchase of those systems would be subject to competitive bidding.

School Calendar Bill Stuck On Pact Date

House and Senate negotiators are stuck on whether the Legislature should specify when students take Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests each spring.

The Senate version insists children take the tests in grades three through eight starting the second week in May. The House rejects the idea.

The proposal is part of a bill establishing uniform guidelines all 85 districts should follow when adopting school calendars.

State education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum said the Department of Education is willing to schedule the high-stakes exams during the second week of May, if it would resolve differences over whether schools should begin instruction simultaneously.

Legislators from coastal counties have been campaigning for more than a year to establish a uniform starting time to help businesses that rely on tourism, and to ensure every child is exposed to the same amount of instruction prior to PACTs.

The state Board of Education adopted start-date guidelines five months ago that set a seven-day period for opening schools around Labor Day weekend. That policy takes effect in August 2004.

Some legislators complained the state board misinterpreted their instructions to study and develop calendar guidelines, which led to a controversial 9-to-8 vote in December.

Community schools bill fails in House

The House Education Committee rebuffed efforts Tuesday to revive Gov. Mark Sanford's idea establishing new rules promoting smaller public schools.

For the second time in less than a week, the panel tabled Sanford's "Neighborhood and Community Schools Act," which he proposed in January during the State of the State address.

Sanford challenged legislators to pass a law requiring all elementary schools to limit enrollment to 500 students, all middle school schools to limit enrollment to 700 students and all high schools to limit enrollment to 900.

Over the past month, House Education Committee members amended Sanford's proposal to recommendations, and increased the minimum enrollment guidelines for each level by 200 students.

Those changes not withstanding, the panel rejected the watered-down version Tuesday.

Said Rep. Joel Lourie, D-Richland: "It sends the wrong signals to our districts when our schools' (state funding is) being slashed to the bone. The idea might have merit, but there's no bipartisan support for it right now."