SC Senate must deal with roads plan next week, leader says

S.C. state senators could pass a proposal to repair the state’s crumbling roads next week.

Or not.

Senators left Columbia for the week Thursday after three days of debate of a plan to raise the state’s gas tax to fix the state’s crumbling roads.

Senate President Pro Tempore Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, said Thursday the Senate “absolutely must deal with the roads bill this coming week.”

Leatherman warned senators to return to Columbia Tuesday prepared to work nights and possibly into the weekend.

“The people out there are telling me: ‘The Senate needs to do something,’ ” Leatherman said. “I hope the Senate will rise to the occasion.”

This story was originally published April 20, 2017 at 5:12 PM with the headline "SC Senate must deal with roads plan next week, leader says."