Many states outlawed tattooing in the 1960s, but South Carolina and Oklahoma are the only states to continue the ban.

A conference committee agreed on a compromise bill Thursday lifting the state's ban on tattooing. It passed the House and Senate just hours later and soon will be on its way to Gov. Mark Sanford's desk. Sanford has said he will sign the bill as long as it protects public safety.

The bill outlaws tattoos for anyone younger than 18 and requires a parent's permission from 18 to 21. It bans tattooing the face, neck and head.

Tattoo artists will have to use disposable needles and follow local zoning laws, such as opening businesses away from churches and schools. Tattoo parlors also will need a license before opening.

"It's hard to believe. I've been fighting this since the mid-'90s," said White, who was once fined and sentenced to four years' probation after protesting the ban by tattooing someone on television.

White has sued the state in federal court over the ban but said he will drop the suit if the tattooing is made legal.

The last hurdle for the bill came when the conference committee deleted a part of the House bill that would give local governments more control.

White and other supporters worried that might kill the bill. But the House approved it 62-29 shortly before adjourning, and the Senate followed with a voice vote soon after.

White and others aren't happy that an 18-year-old can go to war but not get a tattoo without a parent's permission, but they decided to fight that part of the law later.

A dedicated group of a dozen or so people watched the tattoo bill wind its way through the Legislature this year. The suits and blouses usually seen at Statehouse hearings were replaced by more casual attire. Tattoos peaked from sleeves, and the dozen or so supporters clapped when the 15-minute compromise meeting ended Thursday.

Several of them made it a point to shake Sen. William Mescher's hand. He also has fought to lift the ban on tattooing for about a decade.

Mescher, R-Pinopolis, figures the bill finally got through this year because churches and others opposed to tattooing for moral reasons eased their objections.

"It's going on anyway," he said. "For health reasons, we've got to regulate it."

White was stunned that lawmakers took such quick action on the bill.

"I'm looking forward to finally opening up a tattoo parlor in South Carolina," he said.

His first client will be one of his lawyers. White plans to give him a tattoo of a Palmetto tree -- one of the state's symbols -- and the state flag.

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