ATLANTA - Georgia voters will decide whether hunting and fishing should be protected by the state constitution after the House unanimously approved a proposed amendment that already had gained Senate passage.

The question will appear for ratification or rejection by Georgia voters on the November 2006 general election ballot.

Supporters of Senate Resolution 67 acknowledge hunting and fishing face no immediate threat in Georgia, but they want to ensure that lawsuits or proposed legislation won't strip Georgians of such outdoor activities.

"This is just a protection for our hunters and fishers to make sure that they know that regardless of where they live in the state, their rights are going to be protected," said House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island.

The ballot question reads like this: "Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide that the tradition of fishing and hunting and the taking of fish and wildlife shall be preserved for the people and shall be managed by law and regulation for the public good?"

Proposed constitutional amendments, which must pass the House and Senate with a two-thirds majority, don't need the signature of the governor.

They become law upon ratification by a majority of the state's voters.

S.R. 67 was introduced in January by a group of Republican senators, including Eric Johnson, R-Savannah, and Greg Goggans, R-Douglas.

The House and the Senate adopted similar resolutions in 2004 but were unable to reach agreement on the exact language.

Some Democrats voted begrudgingly in favor of the measure Thursday, saying they believe S.R. 67 is an attempt by Republican leaders to pander to rural voters.

"I have not seen any threat to hunting and fishing," said Rep. Jane Kidd, D-Athens, who voted for it. "However, I do think that hunting and fishing are wonderful traditions that sometimes are a means of survival, and I don't have a problem with restating that."

Others have complained that hunting and fishing are not subjects that merit a place in the Georgia Constitution.

Reach Brian Basinger at (404) 681-1701 or brian.basinger@morris.com.