With the enchanting Sprinkler Scuffle just beginning to climb the charts, the South Carolina General Assembly is already bringing back a pair of its greatest hits to keep state politics oh so riveting. Straight off the 2007 session’s “Best of” compilation, the state legislature has decided to revisit all-terrain vehicle safety legislation as well as a possible cigarette tax hike.

Although South Carolina is one of only three states without laws regulating ATV safety, previous bills in the last two years passed the General Assembly, only to meet Gov. Mark Sanford’s hyperactive veto pen. Perhaps this year will be different.

Legislators appear to be tripping over each other trying to improve all-terrain vehicle safety, with five different bills working their way through the system.

Two of the bills hit roadblocks Tuesday in the House Agriculture Subcommittee. After about 20 minutes of discussion on each bill, debate was adjourned on both H.4322 and H.4342.

“We do want to revisit this issue,” said Rep. Laurie Slade Funderburk, D-Kershaw. “I just don’t know if these bills are the proper vehicle.” [S.C. Politics Today]

The cigarette tax increase seems to be in a similar place.

Momentum for raising the state cigarette tax is smoldering in the Legislature, dampened by tugs of war over how much and how to spend it.

A Senate panel will listen to ideas from the public Tuesday on those topics before trying to settle those conflicts.

Senators are starting with a House-approved plan that would raise the tax — the lowest in the nation at 7 cents per pack — to 37 cents per pack.

But it’s unclear if that increase is too little or too much. [TIM FLACH - The State]

Hey, at least they’re doing something that’s at least somewhat productive while in session.