The Georgia Senate has approved legislation that would give a special hunting permit to children with terminal illnesses.

Senate Bill 309, also known as Taylor's Law, was approved by a vote of 53-1. Sen. Rick Jeffares of Locust Grove, says the issue was brought to his attention last fall by the family of Taylor Gramling, who was nearing the end of her battle with leukemia.

One of the 18-year-old girl's last requests was to go deer hunting, but local and state officials had to get creative to help make her wish come true ahead of hunting season.

Taylor did kill a deer, and she died six weeks later. The bill was named in her memory and passed with her friends and family watching in the gallery.

Also Tuesday, the Georgia Senate approved legislation that would end the ban on silencers for hunting firearms.

Senate Bill 301 was approved by a vote of 48-5. Sen. John Bulloch, the bill's sponsor, says allowing hunters to use silencers would keep them from disturbing their neighbors, and removing the ban would not create an unfair advantage for hunters. Hunters would still need a federal permit to possess a silencer.

Bulloch says the legislation was brought to him by the National Rifle Association. The NRA successfully pushed for similar legislation last year in Kansas, Louisiana and Washington, and supports legalizing silencers in all 50 states.

Silencers are legal to possess and use for lawful purposes in most states, but require a federal permit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Tags: hunting, Senate, deer, 2012 Legislatve Session, permits