Nikema Williams in GA legislative records

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. Nikema Williams 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: Opposed 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. Nikema Williams voted NO; Vetoed by Governor Brian Kemp on May/10/19

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

On Health Care: Opposed 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. Nikema Williams voted NO; 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. Nikema Williams 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 Legislative voting records for Georgia House and Senate. Click here for other excerpts from Legislative voting records for Georgia House and Senate. Click here for other excerpts by Nikema Williams. Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Feb 13, 2023