Davis filibuster against gas tax increase shuts down Senate

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Senate Republicans have called a closed-door meeting after a filibuster over how to spend extra money coming into South Carolina’s budget reached a third day.

Senate President Hugh Leatherman said after the Senate adjourned Tuesday that he wants to get all Republican senators together to talk.

Sen. Tom Davis has been on the floor speaking against a bill on how to spend $85 million the state had left over. But his bigger point is the state should use much of the $400 million in expected new revenue that hasn’t been budgeted on roads and bridges instead of raising the gas tax.

The Beaufort Republican vows to filibuster for all five regular legislative days left in the session, leaving 20 pages of bills on the calendar in limbo.