(Columbia-AP) March 2, 2004 -- A bill that forces people and businesses to pay a collection fee for overdue taxes has cleared a Senate Finance subcommittee. The legislation calls for a 20 percent collection fee on taxes that are 120 days overdue.

Lawmakers approved the fees last year as part of the budget. That temporary change generated more than a million dollars. The bill passed Tuesday would make the collection fee permanent.

The money collected would help finance South Carolina Business One Stop, a program to allow businesses to register for various licenses online and avoid trips to different agencies. What's left over would be used by the Revenue Department for its operations.

The bill now goes to the Senate Finance Committee.

Posted 6:07pm by BrettWitt