COLUMBIA --- South Carolina legislators welcomed one another back Tuesday with smiles and back slaps on the first day of the 2008 General Assembly session.

The South Carolina House and Senate gaveled to order shortly after noon. Much of the day was spent on housekeeping matters, such as seat and committee assignments.

Priorities in the January-to-June session include curtailing illegal immigration, capping state spending and adding transparency to the budget by requiring names beside money requests, lawmakers said.

All House and Senate seats are up for election this year, and the public feud between the Republican-controlled Legislature and Republican Gov. Mark Sanford is likely to continue.

Sen. John Hawkins previewed his bill that would ban payday lending in South Carolina. Last year, the Spartanburg Republican helped craft legislation to regulate the industry, and that bill is up for debate in the Senate.

But Mr. Hawkins said the industry opposes even modest reforms, so he wants to ban it altogether.

"The working poor of South Carolina, the people living paycheck to paycheck, are being truly devastated by this," said Mr. Hawkins, an attorney who is suing the industry on his clients' behalf. "The people they're making most of their money off of are trapped in an endless cycle of debt."

The industry has argued that its short-term loans are a better alternative than bouncing checks or paying late fees.

The leaders of the House and Senate want more regulation but don't support a ban. Without payday lending as a last resort, people could be driven to loan sharks, House Speaker Bobby Harrell said.

"I'd rather it be legal than underground," said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, who is equally offended by fees charged by credit card companies for late payments.

Guests on the House floor Tuesday included former Rep. Converse Chellis, who resigned last year after being elected state treasurer, and David Wilkins, who was the chamber's speaker for 11 years before becoming U.S. ambassador to Canada in the summer of 2005.

Mr. Wilkins received a standing ovation at the House Republican Caucus meeting before the session started.

"I miss you," he said. "I feel as much a part of this group now as I did 21/2 years ago."