COLUMBIA, S.C. - Some black lawmakers say they've faced difficulty in getting proposals passed or considered in the General Assembly because of racism.

"Black legislators still are searching for equal footing in the General Assembly," Rep. Seth Whipper, a black lawmaker from Charleston, told The (Columbia) State for a story Friday. "There are problems with complete acceptance by white legislators."

Republicans argue that race isn't the reason bills by black lawmakers are rejected. They say most proposals are dismissed because of differing philosophies.

The Legislature is controlled by Republicans and all the state's black legislators are Democrats.

The issue was highlighted this month after Rep. Leon Howard, a black Columbia Democrat, introduced legislation that would mandate paper coverings on all drinking straws.

The bill was quashed by Rep. John Graham Altman, a white Charleston Republican. Howard said it's part of a disturbing pattern of the House blocking legislation offered by black lawmakers.

"When I first got elected, I found out quickly I could not, as a black member, pass a bill on my own," Howard said. "I had to give it to a white lawmaker to get it passed. It was almost like slavery days."

Altman said the issue is the type of legislation offered by black members.

"It's socialistic and liberal," Altman told the newspaper. "It has no chance of passing."

An analysis by The State newspaper shows all Democrats have difficulty getting legislation passed.

Of 157 bills offered by the 32 black lawmakers this year, only one passed. That bill, offered by state Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Hopkins, created a mechanism for black colleges to get state lottery money.

White Democrats offered 304 bills and saw 16 pass. Even House Minority Leader James Smith, who is white, has not had a bill passed.

Many black lawmakers said political partisanship is as much, if not more, of a factor than racism in what gets passed.

"Most of it is partisan," said state Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, a black legislator from Orangeburg. "But race is also a factor. Race permeates everything we do here."

When Democrats controlled both chambers in 1993-1994, blacks also lagged in getting legislation approved. During those years, the General Assembly approved 8.9 percent of the bills proposed by black legislators and 16 percent of those proposed by Republicans - all of whom are white.

"It really is kind of sad," Cobb-Hunter said. "You have women and men of color with great ideas, and they never see the light of day unless some Republican decides to sponsor it, which has happened in the past."

House Speaker David Wilkins, R-Greenville, took issue with black representatives who say their legislation is doomed.

"Bills are defeated because of philosophies," said Wilkins, who is white.

Clemson University political science professor Bruce Ransom, who is black, agreed.

The problem black legislators have, Ransom said, is that much of their legislation "tends to be progressive - some might say more liberal - and not in keeping with the mainstream of South Carolina."

Information from: The State