Reforms for medical malpractice lawsuits probably won't emerge from the General Assembly this year, the chairman of the legislative committee where such action would begin said.

Doctors are pushing for changes in state law to shield them from big court verdicts and rising medical malpractice insurance rates.

But the situation in South Carolina is not a crisis, and a single legislative session is not enough time to deal with it effectively, said state Rep. Jim Harrison, R-Richland, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, to which tort reform legislation is referred.

"Unless we can get the parties talking and trying to find some common ground, I wouldn't be optimistic that anything would pass this year," Harrison said.

Doctors say the explosive and unreasonable growth of potentially mega-million-dollar "non-economic" awards is driving up their malpractice insurance rates and endangering accessible health care.

The American Medical Association says South Carolina is among 32 states exhibiting "problem signs" that could lead to a full-blown crisis in malpractice insurance. Another dozen are confronting a crisis right now, the association says.

"If (insurers) are saying they have to raise rates because of some large payouts, that's incorrect," said Columbia medical malpractice lawyer Charles Henshaw Jr., a past president of the S.C. Trial Lawyers Association. He says mismanagement of the association and fund caused the increases.

Edwards tabs Jackson as S.C. co-chairman

State Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland, was named Monday by Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards to be a co-chair of his South Carolina primary campaign.

"Darrell is one of the most respected members of the South Carolina Senate," Edwards said, "and a respected pastor serving one of the largest congregations in South Carolina with over 6,000 members."

Edwards said he and Jackson care about the same issues -- public education and health care.

Jackson said Edwards has a special understanding of the issues that face the country.

"I have watched him fight to help people like those that I represent in the South Carolina Senate," Jackson said. "I will work to help him become the next president of the United States."

Other S.C. Democrats who have backed Edwards are Columbia Mayor Bob Coble, state Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, and state Rep. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken.

Coleman To Keynote At Silver Elephant

U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., will be the keynote speaker at the S.C. Republican Party's annual Silver Elephant Banquet in Columbia on April 4.

Coleman defeated former Vice President Walter F. Mondale last November for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by the late Paul Wellstone.

Because of the tragic nature of Wellstone's death and the unusual circumstances that followed, the election was watched widely across the nation.

"His success helped tilt the balance of power in the United States Senate for President Bush and the Republican Party," S.C. GOP chairman Katon Dawson said.

As a two-term mayor of St. Paul, Coleman earned a reputation as a fiscal conservative who did not raise taxes during his eight years in office, helped to create 118,000 jobs and oversaw nearly $3 billion in new public and private investments in the capital city.

The GOP gala, the party's premier annual fund-raising event, is expected to attract an estimated 2,000 Republican activists.