COLUMBIA - The $5.1 billion state budget, which slashes almost every department's budget 8.73 percent because of the nearly $1 billion shortfall, will be debated this week on the House floor.

Thursday, House Democrats said they did not have enough time to study the budget and file amendments. Speaker David Wilkins, R-Greenville, said budget week is about the same time it always is.

Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, chairman of the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, said members were reminded during the past six weeks to come to budget meetings and have their say.

"It has been a very long, tedious and incredibly difficult process" because of the money situation, Harrell said.

He said passage can't be delayed because the Senate needs time to work on the budget after the House finishes.

"We're going to give everybody a fair shake," Wilkins said. "Everybody just needs to calm down."

With Republicans holding the majority, the Ways and Means budget is likely to pass, but not without some arguing. Democrats are seeking a cigarette tax increase to pay for Medicaid, for one thing.

After the brief preview of the budget debate, some members brought Harrell a cake and wished him a happy birthday. Everyone applauded and sang "Happy Birthday."

"Can we save this wonderful feeling till Tuesday?" Harrell asked.

Fireworks

Legislators and others who want to give control of fireworks to county governments are running into stiff opposition, as they have in the past.

Cities already have the power to ban fireworks or regulate their use.

Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach, is the bill's sponsor and has the backing of many firefighters.

Horry County officials and others in populated but unincorporated areas say it is unsafe for people to be able to shoot fireworks whenever they wish.

"What does the state fire marshal say?" asked Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, who opposes the bill.

"Rhode Island," replied Jim Bowie, spokesman for the S.C. Firemen's Association, referring to the deadly fire involving pyrotechnics in a Rhode Island club where the rock band Great White was playing a concert.

Later testimony, however, showed that the kind of fireworks the band used are not sold at retail stores in South Carolina. They can be used with special permission.

Under Govan's urging, the bill was put off for further study.

Later in the week, a senator introduced a bill that would ban the use of indoor pyrotechnics.

Doctor of the day

Dr. William L. Mills of Conway, an orthopedist, was the doctor of the day for the General Assembly on Thursday, the second time he has filled the volunteer spot.

Mills brought his chief nurse, Angela Fox, with him. He said he had a few patients, none with serious illness or injury.

Doctors volunteer to be on-hand during legislative sessions to attend not only to lawmakers but to anyone on the Statehouse grounds. They often bandage skinned knees of visiting children who trip on the steps.

This week

The House will not have committee meetings during budget week, nor will it debate other bills.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will debate bills ending the requirement to use minibottles Tuesday. Action was scheduled last week but canceled for an extended floor debate.

Also Tuesday, a Senate committee will consider a bill requiring cities and counties to pay property owners who are forced to remove nonconforming uses, such as billboards or cement plants, where the zoning changed.

Representatives of Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc., which is in a dispute with the city of Myrtle Beach over removing billboards that have become nonconforming uses, testified at the subcommittee hearing.

Cities and counties oppose the bill.

Sen. Bill Mescher, R-Pinopolis, is again sponsoring a bill that would allow tattooing. Mescher says illegal tattooing is taking place, including in Myrtle Beach, and should be controlled and regulated instead of banned.

Oklahoma is the only other state that bans tattooing.

Myrtle Beach-area legislators have opposed the bill because they don't want a proliferation of tattoo parlors.

A subcommittee hearing on Mescher's bill will be held Wednesday.

The Senate Education Committee will take up the House bill that gives all school districts the power to set their own calendars. The bill was passed to void a state Education Department rule requested by the tourism industry that schools must start near Labor Day.

The committee meets Wednesday.