(Columbia) January 10, 2007 - It's day two of the General Assembly, but it will mostly be a day of ceremony as Governor Mark Sanford and others are sworn into office during a State House ceremony.

Legislators greeted one another with smiles, hugs and back slaps Tuesday as the session opened. Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer gaveled the Senate to order just after noon. House Speaker Bobby Harrell followed suit with the House just minutes later.

Hundreds of people hoping to talk to the lawmakers crowded the lobby as the 117th legislative session in South Carolina began.

The House and Senate met for short sessions Tuesday. House Speaker Bobby Harrell says the real work will begin next week.

This year's session is expected to be similar to the past four years, as the Republican-controlled Legislature battles Sanford, also a Republican.

Legislators say Sanford needs to talk more with them and pick a few things they can work together on, instead of trying to rally the public against lawmakers.

Much of Tuesday's action on the floor was ceremonial or procedural. State senators chose committees and seats and approved a new chaplain. The former chaplain, Reverend George Meetze, died in November.

Also on Tuesday, Senate members made seating and committee assignments. The House did that last month in an organizational meeting.

One item up for discussion in this year's session is the state's minimum wage.

Bakari Sellers, South Carolina's youngest lawmaker, has filed a bill that would increase the state's minimum wage to $7.00 an hour. That's up $1.85 from the current minimum wage of $5.15 an hour.

If approved, it would be the first increase since the mid-1990s.

Also, watch for major action on education and taxes in the new session, and raising the cigarette tax is going to get a lot of discussion. 

In fact, Senator Harvey Peeler said last Thursday he believes there's bipartisan support for hiking the tax to 37 cents per pack, and he says the consensus seems to be that the additional millions raised should go to healthcare for the poor. One  roadblock: lawmakers who signed a pledge not to raise taxes.

On the education front, representative Bob Walker says bills are already pre-filed that propose: making the 4k trial program permanent for at-risk children, and a proposal for open enrollment in South Carolina schools. Any student could go to any school, regardless of the district where they reside and changes to the school bus routes.

The idea is to make school buses available to students who live less than a mile-and-a-half from school. 

Restructuring DOT, immigration and worker's compensation are also going to be priorities for lawmakers this year.

Both the state Republican Party and Democratic Education Superintendent-elect Jim Rex have inaugural events planned Tuesday night.

Governor Mark Sanford and the other constitutional officers will be sworn into office during a ceremony at the State House that begins late Wednesday morning.

The inauguration is set for 11am on the steps of the State House. You can Count on WIS News 10 and WIStv.com for live coverage of the event.

There will be plenty of food and live music taking place. The Swingin' Medallions kick things off at 6pm. Country music artist and Lancaster native Julie Roberts is scheduled to take the stage at 7:50. Then at 8:30, the Original Tams will perform.

Tickets for the barbeque will be $60 per person. Children under 12 get in for free.

Sanford's barbecue is set for Wednesday night.

updated 8:17am by Bryce Mursch with AP