South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has told Republican senators to wrap up their budget work and focus on passing tort reform and a bill creating a Cabinet-level Department of Administration.
The Republican governor met with the senators Tuesday behind closed doors. She could be heard saying that if they're going to vote on Amazon, vote on it and move on. Haley said her priorities for the session's waning days are measures that would limit lawsuit awards and restructure government.
Supporters of a proposal to give Amazon a five-year exemption from collecting sales tax in exchange for jobs and investment cleared a key hurdle earlier, as the Senate voted to debate that behind the budget.
Senators are in their fifth week of debating the 2011-12 budget.
