some good news for our friends in the South:

http://www.examiner.com/x-5619-Atlan...examiner-email

SB 342 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Friday.

This is Part 7 in a continuing series about Georgia legislation affecting your right to bear arms.

To date, in all of the 2009-2010 legislative session, only two bills have managed to make it out of committee. SB 291 passed out of committee Tuesday, and SB 342, repealing the government's power to seize firearms during a time of declared emergency, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Friday. The bill's author, Senator Preston Smith (R-52) is Chairman of the committee. SB 342 passed on a 7 to 1 vote, with the only "no" vote on the committee coming from Senator Vincent Fort (D-39). The committee hearing was lightly attended and had none of the fireworks or vigorous debate typically on display at a hearing for a bill affecting the right to bear arms.

SB 342 would repeal Georgia's current law permitting the Governor, during declared emergencies, to suspend the transportation or sale of firearms. While the law purports to except firearms that were legally acquired prior to the declaration of emergency, many Georgia citizens and lawmakers have criticized that provision as ineffectual. "How am I supposed to prove my gun was legally acquired?" asked Jerry Henry, the Executive Director of the grassroots organization, GeorgiaCarry.Org. "I do not carry around a receipt with me. Do you?"