COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina legislators went home last week without making many changes affecting businesses in the state while turning away tax increase efforts.

A lack of new taxes or restrictions on businesses was not surprising with Republicans in control of the House, Senate and governor's office, said Jim Hatchell, president of the South Carolina Merchants Association.

"That's the essential platform of the Republican Party. The underlying philosophy of the Republican Party prevailed," he said.

Defeating tax increases on gasoline and other goods was the biggest success for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, said Hunter Howard, the chamber's chief executive officer. He could think of no major action by legislators that was bothersome to the business community.

While there were no tax increases, businesses will see higher fees:

- A $25 charge for hearings requested and motions filed with the Workers' Compensation Commission.

- $75 more for exterminators to license each pesticide they use.

- $50 more for licenses on video game machines.

- People using carp to deal with aquatic weeds will pay $1 per fish to certify they are sterile.

On Wednesday, Gov. Mark Sanford signed into law a bill that expands the state's power to investigate securities fraud. The legislation was created as state Attorney General Henry McMaster began an investigation of Carolina Investors. About 8,000 people lost millions when the Upstate investment company closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy protection in April.

Legislation businesses saw as key will have to wait until January when the General Assembly reconvenes in January for the second half of its two-year session. "The good news is nothing has died," Howard said.

Legislation businesses still wants out of the Statehouse includes:

- A bill to limit what companies must pay when they lose a lawsuit was introduced in the House but never got past the Judiciary Committee.

- Legislators haven't reached a compromise yet on a bill overhauling the seven-member Public Service Commission, which oversees the electric, phone and natural gas utilities. That legislation would have raised qualifications for commission candidates and created separate staffs to act as advocates for the public interest and advisers to the commission.

- Legislation undoing years of court decisions on the state's employment-at-will law cleared the House but stalled in the Senate. The bill would prevent written manuals from being construed as employment contracts by courts. Opponents say the bill would make it easier to fire workers and allow companies to break promises on benefits, including vacation and sick leave.

State AFL-CIO president Donna Dewitt says that bill will re-emerge with greater force next year as politicians use the issue to appeal to conservative voters in the November 2004 elections.

"We'll have our hands full," she said.

Information from: The State