House to take up budget amendment

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ The South Carolina House is expected to take up an amendment to the $7 billion state budget the Senate approved last month.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper has been writing changes during the past couple of weeks. He's been working with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman to keep differences to a minimum in the two versions.

Cooper still expects the bill will end up in a conference committee where differences will be worked out.

One key difference has been the Senate's removal of $20 million from research grants. The House had set aside $30 million for the program.

That was cut as the Senate scrambled to trim $180 million as projections showed state tax collections slowing.