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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina officials are hoping to give seniors an online service to connect them with businesses they can trust.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said Friday that Senior Shield will provide elderly residents and their families with a list of businesses that have agreed to a code of ethics and undergone a background check -- at the businesses' own expense.

Companies that fail to abide by the rules will be removed from the Senior Shield list.

The plan from the South Carolina Office on Aging run by Bauer's office has drawn criticism because of the state money spent and the way the program is structured.

Senior Shield is a nonprofit organization that will team up with a for-profit company to do background checks on businesses.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)