BUSH STATE HOUSE VISIT SET FOR APRIL 18

President Bush, who was scheduled to visit the State House on Thursday but will instead fly to Rome to attend the Pope’s funeral, has rescheduled the S.C. visit for April 18.

Bush will push his Social Security plan before a joint session of the General Assembly.

The Columbia visit is part of a “60 stops in 60 days” campaign by top administration officials to rally support for private accounts. It was launched a little more than a month ago.

ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE BILL CLEARS PANEL

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill to let voters decide whether the state constitution should be changed to bar same-sex marriages.

The amendment says marriage is “exclusively defined as the union between one man and one woman” and all other unions are void. South Carolina already has a law that bars same-sex marriages, but supporters argue a judge could strike the law down and open the door to gay unions in the state.

The constitutional amendment has cleared the House and would be put before the voters in November 2006 if the Senate approves it.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said the measure is unconstitutional because it does not define what a “union” might be — confusing what constitutes contracts between men and women.

DEMOCRATS ASSAIL SANFORD

Democrats on Tuesday blamed Republican Gov. Mark Sanford for the state’s rising unemployment — third-highest in the nation — and low income growth.

Sanford’s “failed economic polices are causing real pain for working families in South Carolina,” state Democratic Party chairman Joe Erwin said, while the governor is proposing tax breaks for the wealthy.

Sanford blamed lawmakers.

“At times, it has been the legislative process that has slowed up the people’s ability to get the changes that we proposed,” he said.

Erwin said the governor hasn’t worked with lawmakers, instead resorting to stunts, including bringing pigs and a horse-drawn carriage to the State House.

SCHOOL HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION

A bill aimed at improving physical education and nutritional standards in schools cleared a House Education subcommittee Tuesday. It would require 2 ½ hours of physical education weekly for kindergarten through fifth-grade students who now might get just 30 minutes.

The legislation also says all vending machines serving food and beverages that do not meet U.S. Agriculture Department standards of healthy snacks would have to be removed from schools. The changes would cost $6 million during the first year, and would not go into effect unless the Legislature provides the money.

FETAL RIGHTS

A fetus would have rights to due process and equal protection under a bill passed by the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. It would establish that rights begin “at fertilization.”

Opponents warned the bill likely would be declared unconstitutional and is counter to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. A similar bill died in the committee last year.

S.C. FLAGS STAY UP DESPITE POPE’S DEATH

Despite a presidential proclamation, flags outside state offices have not been lowered to half-staff to mark the death of Pope John Paul II.

South Carolina law specifies whose deaths would allow the governor to order a lowering of the flag — public officials, military personnel and police officers, among others.

Popes don’t make the list.

“The governor’s office is limited by the statute,” said Will Folks, spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford. “That would be up to the General Assembly to do something about.”

Lauren Markoe, Jeff Stensland and The Associated Press contributed to this report.