GNB Update

It's Tuesday...Here's the latest Georgia-related news...

Thanks to one page of writing from a local judge, a U.S. Senator won't have to testify.

That was the ruling Chatham County judge Hermann Coolidge gave, as Georgia U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss won't be forced to answer questions from a lawyer regarding the explosion of the Imperial Sugar refinery near Savannah more than a year ago. Savannah attorney Mark Tate wanted to ask Senator Chambliss whether the company had sought his help in defending the company. But lawyers with the Senate say the U.S. Constitution gives Senators immunity from answering questions regarding civil lawsuits. The February 7, 2008 explosion left 14 people dead, and at least a dozens seriously hurt.

If you drive a truck in Georgia, you don't have to wear a seat belt. A key panel with the Georgia House earlier today rejected legislation that would have required adults in pick-up trucks to buckle up. The House Consumer Affairs subcommittee voted 4-3 against the new law. Georgia remains the only state in the nation that allows truck drivers not to buckle their safety belts. That stance alone has cost the state millions of dollars in federal highway funds.

And from the blog files, Peach Pundit weighs in on whether Georgia should be forced to comply with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Governor Sonny Perdue doesn't think so. He filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court just last week seeking to free Southern state from pre-clearance provisions of the VRA. That happened after Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker refused to file on the state's behalf. General Counsel John Brittain believes abolishing any portion of the VRA will hurt minority voters.

That's the news. Remember to bookmark georgianewsbeat.blogspot.com for the freshest Georgia-related news 24/7. Enjoy your Tuesday night.