COLUMBIA - Rep. Bakari Sellers, D-Denmark, isn't waiting for Congress to act.

Elected to the General Assembly in November, Mr. Sellers began the legislative session Tuesday by introducing a bill that would increase the state minimum wage from $5.15 to $7 an hour, plus give a tax break to small businesses, which could feel the pinch from any significant increase.

A group of state senators also is seeking to boost the minimum wage.

Congressional Democrats, who took control of both chambers last week, also are pushing a minimum wage increase at the federal level.

"I think they'll do it eventually," Mr. Sellers said. "(But first we'll) get it done here, so we'll have a solution until the federal government gets it done."

Mr. Sellers' bill was among dozens introduced when lawmakers met for the first day of the legislative session.

But little legislative action will be taken this week.

Instead, lawmakers will spend the week preparing for the session, which lasts until June, and participating in the festivities associated with Gov. Mark Sanford's inauguration.

The Senate spent its first day choosing committee assignments.

Transportation Chairman Sen. Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken, said the big issue will be overhauling the state Department of Transportation, which faced intense criticism this fall after a Legislative Audit Council report was released alleging mismanagement in the department.

Mr. Ryberg favors giving the governor control over the department by placing it in the governor's Cabinet.

Some lawmakers don't like that proposal because they dislike Gov. Mark Sanford, Mr. Ryberg said.

But, he noted, the impact of the move extends beyond one governorship.

"The line of accountability needs to be to the governor," Mr. Ryberg said.

Lawmakers in both chambers spent much of Tuesday greeting friends they haven't seen in months and shaking hands with the dozens of lobbyists who packed the Statehouse, including no-tax groups, motorcyclists and opponents of the same-sex marriage ban that passed in November.

For some, such as Mr. Sellers, it was a first glimpse at a true legislative day.

It was a new day, too, for the Rev. James St. John, who replaces the Rev. George Meetze as the Senate chaplain.

The Rev. Meetze served in the position for 56 years before retiring at the end of last session. He died on Thanksgiving.