(Columbia-AP) Jan. 14, 2004 - Wednesday is Day Two of the 2004 General Assembly. South Carolina lawmakers returned to Columbia on Tuesday to begin a new legislative year faced with a budget shortfall of a projected $350 million.

The House began overriding some of Governor Mark Sanford's 22 budget vetoes Thursday morning. House members voted 87-26 to restore $60,000 out of the Leadership South Carolina program. They also voted 103-0 to maintain payment amounts pharmacists get for dispensing prescriptions for Medicaid recipients.

The House sustained some vetoes, including a state subsidy to a motorcycle driver training program, money for the Palmetto Pride litter control program and the $1200 stipend for state poet laureate. The items still need a vote in the Senate. Tuesday the Senate overrode three vetoes that the House will consider. Those vetoes dealt mostly with local programs.

The House Judiciary Committee already has approved a bill to overhaul the state's civil lawsuit system. The bill is backed by key Republican leaders, but some GOP members criticized the fast work on the bill. Charleston Representative John Graham Altman says many formerly strong people caved in on the bill. Bennettsville Democrat Doug Jennings says the bill would overturn two centuries of court policy.

The Senate meets Wednesday afternoon as lawmakers get down to work on a variety of issues.

Governor Mark Sanford's $5.1 billion budget proposal was on lawmakers' desk when the second session of the 115th Legislature started. The plan is designed to deal with the budget shortfall. Read budget highlights (Adobe required). Read full budget (Adobe required).

The 328-page proposal urges lawmakers to restructure state government and cut payrolls. The governor calls for cutting state spending at 17 state agencies by ten percent or more.

Sanford's executive budget has taken many by surprise. It would cut the state's yearly contribution to the State Museum and Clemson University's public service program. It would also cut the state's eight-horse caisson team, which has been used in funeral processions of former Senator Strom Thurmond and police officers killed in the line of duty.

Sanford's budget proposal is being criticized by many lawmakers. Lawmakers whose districts surround the University of South Carolina's two-year campuses in Allendale and Union are upset with Sanford's proposal to close them.

Legislators are said to be more likely this year to cut state jobs after three years of a tough economy has emptied reserve accounts. The number of state workers that could lose their jobs under the proposal is unclear.

Sanford's proposed budget also includes of structural reforms, such as placing statewide offices in the governor's cabinet. Sanford says his budget will also force the government to operate more efficiently by, for instance, cutting telephone and travel expenses.

Since 2004 is an election year, all decisions made by the 46 Senators and 124 House members are up for even more immediate voter scrutiny than usual.

updated 12:11pm by BrettWitt