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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina legislators want to prevent public colleges from giving more out-of-state students a tuition break.

Senators on Thursday opposed a provision added to a bill that requires colleges to post their spending online. The clause would allow public colleges to give tuition breaks to twice the number of students that they can now.

Colleges now are allowed to reduce tuition for up to 4 percent of undergraduate students. The change would increase that to 8 percent of students, but at least half of those getting a break would have to be in-state students

But some senators think colleges would reserve the other half to recruit more out-of-state students. Those lawmakers say out-of-state students take spots from South Carolina students.

Senators likely won't vote on the issue until next week.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)