COLUMBIA -A bill allowing bars to free-pour liquor received second of three approvals Wednesday in the Senate, but a threatened filibuster means it probably won't pass in time for the House to act on it this year.

Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter, a beer and wine distributor, was speaking against the bill but agreed to give the measure second reading if it was not taken up again for a week.

The bill, which allows bars to continue to use minibottles if they wish, is a top priority of the state's hospitality industry, and it has not come this far before.

Tom Sponseller, president of the S.C. Hospitality Association, said the second approval shows the bill will pass.

Leventis said there's no need to change. "I don't see anyone in the public asking for this," he said. "We need to slow down, let the public continue to take a look and see what they want."

Supporters hoped to get the bill to the House by the May 1 deadline.

But Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, a sponsor of the bill, said it is not important if the House doesn't take it up this year.

The bill calls for a referendum on the change, which would be held in November 2004. If it passes, the change could not be implemented before July 2005.

"Do you not think it is prudent to at least move forward and let the voters decide?" Elliott asked Leventis during the debate.

"No, I don't," Leventis said. He said the change was not up for debate, but when Sen. Wes Hayes, R-Rock Hill, offered to discuss both, Leventis declined.

"Do you support changing the minibottle legislation?" asked Sen. Luke Rankin, D-Myrtle Beach. Leventis said he did not.

Sen. John Kuhn, R-Charleston, said Leventis may not have people in his district who want the law changed, but he does.

"It's a big issue to some of us, particularly in the tourism regions," Kuhn said.

When it became clear Leventis would not relent, Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-West Columbia, proposed the compromise.