S.C. Enters Second Day in Debate Over $8.2 Billion Budget

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina lawmakers are entering their second day of deliberations over the state's $8.2 billion budget plan.

The House resumed floor debate Tuesday morning.

Lawmakers on Monday approved dozens of sections of the budget by large margins and without debate. Other sections to which amendments had been made were skipped over.

Legislators voted 47-38 to freeze future spending by the Public Service Commission, the entity tasked with regulating the state's utilities. The vote was symbolic, since the commission doesn't get state funds.

Lawmakers are currently debating plans to reconfigure the agency as part of proposed fixes following the failure of new reactor construction at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station. Nine times, the commission approved the utility rate increases that helped fund the $9 billion debacle.