COLUMBIA - With no discussion, lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to override Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of a heritage trail celebrating the exploits of Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion.

Sanford said the project should compete for existing state grants through the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department and should not have its own commission.

The Senate overrode the veto 39-0, the House 89-18.

It was one of eight measures legislators voted to override. They let two vetoes stand and deferred action on one until January.

The heritage-trail measure establishes a commission to develop the trail through counties where the Swamp Fox, as he later was known, either fought, camped or lived.

Horry and Georgetown counties are included in the trail, which was proposed as a tourism destination.

Historians say Marion won the war in South Carolina for the patriots, which prevented the British from advancing in other territory.

Legislators left another tourism-related veto hanging until they reconvene in January.

Sanford vetoed a bill that sought to excuse Florence County for wrongly spending accommodations-tax money. The measure gave the county back $230,000 that it was penalized after the room-tax-
spending oversight committee ruled the money was improperly spent.

The accommodations-tax law that imposes a 2 percent levy on rooms includes provisions that the money be spent on tourism promotion and certain other tourism-related activities. Florence County spent the money on general law enforcement without a showing that it was tourism-related.

The Senate debated the issue for nearly an hour, finally voting to override the veto 37-7. The House discussed the matter for about half an hour before deciding to put off a decision to seek more information.

Members were uneasy about whether giving the money back to Florence County would take money from the other cities and counties that receive accommodations-tax funds.

Sen. Thomas Alexander, R-Walhalla, supported the bill. He said that Florence County made a mistake and that there is no way in current law for them to get the money back.

Sen. Jake Knotts, R-West Columbia, said the bill would send a signal to cities and counties that they can spend the money improperly and seek a waiver from legislators.

Knotts said Florence County appealed the decision of the Tourism Expenditure Review Committee to the administrative law courts and lost there, as well.

Lawmakers should not overturn those rulings, he said.

Many in the hospitality industry opposed the bill because they said it would take money away from other areas.

With a 50-59 vote, the House sustained Sanford's veto of a law seeking to crack down on people who drive in the left lane of four-lane highways without good reason.

The Senate overrode the veto 36-6.

The bill was aimed at easing road rage incidents.

"Have you been on I-20 lately?" Rep. Billy Witherspoon, R-Conway, asked Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, who called for an override of the veto.

Witherspoon said the right lane of I-20 is in such poor condition that he drives in the left lane. Delleney said that would be a valid reason for using the left lane.