Renee Unterman in State of Georgia Archives

On Drugs: Allow onsite testing for drug-free workplace program

SB96: A BILL relating to drug-free workplace programs, to provide for onsite testing & oral testing.

Summary by eDrugTest.com: Georgia has a voluntary drug testing law. For companies that wish to qualify for a 7.5% discount on their workers' compensation premiums they must comply with this law.

Legislative outcome:Passed House 160-2-18, Vote #429 on Apr/20/07; passed Senate 56-0-0, Vote #175 on Mar/27/07; Sen. Unterman voted YES; Signed by Gov. Perdue on May/24/07

Source: Asbestos.com on Georgia legislative voting records: SB182 Apr 30, 2007

On Education: Broadened prohibition on sex between teachers, students

Legislative Summary: SB9: A BILL relating to invasion of privacy, so as to prohibit sexual extortion.

Analysis by Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The Georgia General Assembly broadened a prohibition on sex between teachers and high school students. Current law, which prosecutors find difficult to enforce, prohibits sexual relations only when the teacher has "supervisory or disciplinary" authority over the student.

Govenror's Signing Statement : SB9 addresses the power differential between teachers and students who may technically be old enough to consent to sex but are to be considered incapable of consent under the circumstances.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 149-2-29, Vote #414 on Apr/02/19; Passed Senate 51-0-5, Vote #410 on Apr/02/19; State Sen. Renee Unterman voted YES; Signed by Governor Brian Kemp on May/7/19.

Source: Atlanta Journal-Const.:Georgia legislative voting record SB9 Apr 2, 2019

On Education: Supported Keeping Georgia's Schools Safe Act

Analysis by 11-Alive News: Senate Bill 15, or the Keeping Georgia's Schools Safe Act, a Republican-sponsored bill, was passed and sent to Kemp's desk, but the governor vetoed it due to concerns from the education world. The bill called for threat assessments taken at each school and mandated annual safety drills at schools. Guns were not addressed in the bill much to the disappointment of Democrat leaders. Kemp wrote, the bill "undermines local control, generates an unfunded mandate for school safety coordinators, and places a ministerial duty on school administrators, increasing their exposure to legal liability."

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 110-56-14, Vote #420 on Apr/02/19; Passed Senate 42-11-3, Vote #434 on Apr/02/19; State Sen. Renee Unterman voted YES; Vetoed by Governor Brian Kemp on May/10/19

Source: 11alive.com on Georgia legislative voting record SB15 May 10, 2019

On Families & Children: Criminalize sex offenders photographing minors

Summary by Georgia State University Law Review: SB1 would make it illegal for persons required to register as sex offenders under Georgia law to record images of minors. Senator Eric Johnson stated, "whether it's just dirty thoughts, or whether it could build up to some sort of obsession that could lead to a kidnapping or a rape or something else..." Rep. Stacey Abrams moved to incorporate "for indecent purposes." Rep. Abrams was concerned that the Senate version was overly broad. For example, a professional photographer, who was required to register as a sexual offender, would have to obtain the consent of every minor's parent in order to lawfully take a picture of a high school sports team, thereby potentially targeting protected speech.

Legislative outcome:Passed House 131-22-27; Vote #1075 on Apr/04/08; passed Senate 41-8-7; Vote #961 on Apr/04/08; Sen. Unterman voted YES; Signed by Governor Sonny Perdue on May/13/08

Source: GSU Law Review on Georgia legislative voting records: LD415 May 13, 2008

On Health Care: Require proof of physical impairment in asbestos lawsuits

SB182: A BILL to change provisions relating to asbestos claims and silica claims; to provide that physical impairment shall be an essential element of an asbestos claim or a silica claim; to provide for a limitations period for filing a claim.

Summary by the Mesothelioma Center: Georgia enacted a revised version of the Asbestos and Silica Litigation Reform law on May 1, 2007. Plaintiffs with asbestos-related cancers must provide evidence of physical impairment. Georgia also attempts to limit the use of information obtained from mass asbestos screenings sponsored by personal injury lawyers.

Legislative outcome: [Voting YES establishes stricter rules to file lawsuit for asbestos damage. Voting NO keeps the existing rules, allowing asbestos lawsuits before physical impairment is proven]. Passed House 156-1-23, Vote #321 on Apr/17/07; passed Senate 36-3-17, Vote #444 on Apr/20/07; Unterman co-sponsored bill and voted YES; Signed by Gov. Perdue, Apr/30/07.

Source: Asbestos.com on Georgia legislative voting records: SB182 Apr 20, 2007

On Health Care: Tax breaks for high deductible insurance; no aid for insured

SB383: A BILL to provide for the Commissioner of Insurance to adopt policies to promote, approve, and encourage health savings account eligible high deductible plans in Georgia; to provide for exemptions from certain unfair trade practices for certain wellness and health promotion programs, condition or disease management programs, health risk appraisal programs, and similar provisions in such plans.

Summary by the CBPP:Georgia created new tax breaks for high-deductible health plans. Almost 1.7 million Georgians--20%t of all residents under age 65--are uninsured. Almost 2/3 of them have incomes below 200% of the poverty line. Georgia's plan does not attempt to help these low-income individuals obtain insurance. Instead the plan's main target is uninsured people with incomes over $50,000.

Legislative outcome:Passed Senate 36-12-8, Sen. Unterman voted YES; Vote #623 on Feb/26/08; Passed House 148-2-30, Vote #1070 on Apr/04/08; Signed by Gov. Perdue, May/7/08.

Source: CBPP on Georgia legislative voting records: SB383 Feb 26, 2008

On Health Care: Supported limited instead of full expansion of Medicaid

Legislative Summary: SB 106: A BILL to authorize the Department of Community Health to submit a waiver request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Analysis by Georgia Public Broadcasting: The Patients First Act requests a Medicaid waiver from the federal government. Both proponents and opponents of the move are making it clear a waiver isn't the same as full Medicaid expansion, which is what then- President Obama envisioned for states when crafting the Affordable Care Act. Democrats say a waiver doesn't go far enough while some conservatives say even a partial expansion is too costly.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 32-20-4, Vote #65 on Feb/26/19; State Sen. Renee Unterman voted YES; Passed House 104-67-9, Vote #288 on Mar/25/19; Signed by Governor Brian Kemp on Mar/27/19

Source: GBP.org on Georgia legislative voting record SB 106 Feb 26, 2019

On Technology: Work around Federal ban on "no drone zones" at prisons

Legislative Summary: SB6: A BILL to prohibit the use of unmanned aircraft systems to deliver or attempt to deliver contraband to a place of incarceration.

Analysis by BFV Law: Federal law prohibits states from establishing "no drone zones" around prisons and from deploying counter-drone measures. Senate Bill 6 appears to be an attempted work around that could permit law enforcement to monitor and prevent drone operations around prisons. Georgia law already makes it a crime to give anything to persons in custody without the warden's permission. Senate Bill 6 makes it a crime to intentionally use an unmanned aircraft system to violate the anti-contraband law.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House166-4-10, Vote #315 on Mar/28/19; Passed Senate 50-0-4, Vote #323 on Mar/29/19; State Sen. Renee Unterman voted YES; Signed by Governor Brian Kemp on Apr/28/19

Source: BFVLaw.com on Georgia legislative voting record SB6 Mar 29, 2019

The above quotations are from State of Georgia Politicians: Archives. Click here for other excerpts from State of Georgia Politicians: Archives. Click here for other excerpts by Renee Unterman. Click here for a profile of Renee Unterman.
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Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023