COLUMBIA - An Horry County legislator's bill allowing counties to control fireworks gets first review in a House subcommittee Tuesday.

That's just one of a batch of topics of local interest scheduled to be debated this week in the General Assembly. Others include minibottles, Medicaid reform and amusement ride safety.

The full Senate Judiciary Committee will debate bills that end the requirement to use minibottles. The panel meets at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Room 105 of the Gressette Senate office building.

Horry and Georgetown County legislators have tried for 20 years to get a law passed allowing counties the same powers that cities have to control fireworks. But in one of the few states where fireworks are manufactured and are legal for both individual and commercial use, the fireworks lobby is one of the most powerful.

Two years ago, a House committee killed the same bill without discussion.

Proponents said the point is that fireworks should not be allowed in populated suburban areas the same way they are used in rural places. It's illegal to shoot fireworks in most cities, including Myrtle Beach, but outside city limits, anybody can shoot fireworks any time.

The drive for county powers was spurred several years ago when fireworks that went astray caused damage at some Shore Drive condominiums.

Rep. Alan Clemmons, R-Myrtle Beach, is sponsoring the bill. Rep. Tracy Edge, R-North Myrtle Beach, Rep. Tom Keegan, R-Surfside Beach, and Rep. Thad Viers, R-Myrtle Beach, are co-sponsors. Clemmons said he expects a full assault from the fireworks lobby but believes chances are better this time because of the Rhode Island night club pyrotechnic fire.

The subcommittee will take comment on the bill at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 516 of the Blatt House office building.

Medicaid reform

Clemmons' bill on prescription drugs will be part of issues considered at a public hearing on medicaid reform, also at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. It will be in Room 101 Blatt.

He gathered 65 co-sponsors on the bill, a majority of the House. Sen. Dick Elliott, D-North Myrtle Beach, is sponsoring the same measure in the Senate.

The bill is the top priority of the S.C. Silver Haired Legislature. It authorizes the state to join a multistate drug buying consortium to provide lower prices to uninsured seniors and disabled people.

Raising cigarette taxes to help pay for medicaid will also be considered.

Those who cannot attend can comment by e-mailing medicaidreform@scstatehouse.net, or write Ways and Means Committee, Medicaid Reform Subcommittee, P.O. Box 11867, Columbia 29211.

Chelation

Rep. Liston Barfield's bill allowing experimental medical treatment if a patient requests it and a doctor agrees to provide it will be considered by a full committee at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in 426 Blatt.

Barfield, R-Conway, who has received chelation therapy, has tried for several years to get a bill passed recognizing the treatment as nonexperimental, but doctors and insurance lobbyists fought it.

His current bill specifies that insurance would not have to pay for such treatments.

Guardians ad litem

The issue of paid guardians ad litem, who look after the interests of children in custody disputes, became a hot item statewide a year ago as part of the controversy over re-election of Horry County Family Court Judge Haskell T. Abbott.

Changes were made in the guardian ad litem law because of it, but another one is proposed this week.

A House subcommittee takes up a bill making certain that fees paid to the court-appointed guardians are public record.

The same panel will consider a bill by Keegan disallowing beer and wine licenses for places that have games using live firearms.

Ride safety

An amusement ride safety bill that makes both riders and owners responsible will be reviewed at 9 a.m Wednesday in 403 Blatt.