On Monday, March 8, 2011, a hearing was held in the Georgia House Financial Institutions & Services Subcommittee (a Banks & Banking Committee subcommittee) on HB 3, the Constitutional Tender Act.
Testimony in favor of the bill was given by Rep. Bobby Franklin & Dr. Bill Greene, who authored the bill. There was no testimony in opposition to the bill given.
HB 3 would return the State of Georgia to adherence to the U.S. Constitution's legal tender provisions. Specifically, the U.S. Constitution declares in Article I, Section 10 that "no State shall... make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts". This means that no State can make something a "tender in payment" (which means they cannot "make something an offer as payment") for any debts, which would include debts owed by and to the State. However Georgia, like EVERY State in the United States of America, HAS made some other "Thing" an offer as payment - they have by law declared that they will accept, and pay out, Federal Reserve Notes for any debts owed by or to them. Therefore, Georgia is in violation of Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution. Therefore, this bill would require Georgia to ONLY use gold and silver coins in payments to and by the State. Federal Reserve Notes could still be used by the people of the State in personal and business transactions, if they so choose; but with the introduction of competition with REAL money, FRNs will likely soon go the way of the dodo bird.
The witnesses testified and explained to the Members of this subcommittee the absolute requirement of the U.S. Constitution for the State of Georgia to ONLY use gold and silver coins in its transactions, and a dialogue was begun in the best MEANS by which this should be done. The legislators present (only 5 of 13 members showed) asked a good number of questions, many of which were already answered in the handouts they had been given in advance.
Rep. Franklin and Dr. Greene explained to the Members the need to return to fidelity to the Constitution quickly, in order to reap the greatest benefits from such an action. The likely complete devaluation of Federal Reserve Notes, and thus the need for Georgia to protect its citizens via returning to Constitutional Tender, was also explained.
No vote was taken at this hearing.
Further testimony by additional witnesses also followed, which will be uploaded as separate videos.
View the bill here.
Citizens of Georgia: Contact your State Representative here to ask they co-sponsor this bill!
Every American citizen TODAY needs to contact the Leaders of the Georgia House and ask them to support this bill -- CLICK HERE to take action NOW!
View last session's hearing & testimony here.
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