News from Senator Renee Unterman   Sen. Renee Unterman Named `Public Health Hero` December 30, 2009   Submitted by Senate Press Office      Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) has been honored as a "Public Health Hero" by the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA). The recognition was announced by the GPHA at its December business meeting at the Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon. GPHA President Russ Toal commended Unterman for her leadership on health issues during her tenure in the legislature. "Renee Unterman devotes a great deal of time and effort to understanding the implications of maintaining a healthy state population," Toal said. "Her thoughtful and pragmatic approach balances the long-term consequences of the public's overall health with the difficult budgetary constraints our state faces. We are pleased to recognize her outstanding leadership on public health issues at the Capitol."  During the Association's meeting, Toal passed the gavel to incoming president, Dr. Alpha Bryan, who serves as District Health Director in Clayton County. GPHA's mission is to advocate for conditions in which all people and communities can be healthy; to promote the scientific foundation of public health practice and policy; and to assure a continuous voice broadly representing public health in Georgia.  # # # # Sen. Renee Unterman serves as Chairman of the Government Oversight Committee. She represents the 45th Senate District which includes a portion of Gwinnett County.  She can be reached at 404.463.1368 or by email at renee.unterman@senate.ga.gov This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .     7/29/2009 12:01:00 AM - Gwinnett Daily Post   Senator calls for closer probe of home strip club By Heath Hamacher Staff Writer LAWRENCEVILLE - During a press conference Tuesday at the Gwinnett County Jail, State Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, called for law enforcement to re-examine charges against a woman police said may have been running an underground strip club. Constance Trahan, 28, was arrested on July 18 and charged with maintaining a disorderly house. Police responding to a noise complaint said it appeared as though the basement of the Purcell Road home was being used as a strip club, and that alcohol was being sold to minors. Investigators have acknowledged minors may have been drinking, but have made no implications regarding child exploitation, only saying that several people who "appeared underage" left the home as officers arrived. Unterman, a member of the Joint Commission on the Exploitation of Minors, said it's a matter of logic. "If kids are drinking shooters, dancing and stripping, sex is going on," Unterman said. Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway said he doesn't believe the charges against Trahan meet the definition of exploitation, but that he would be happy to look into the incident. The Gwinnett Police Department is actively investigating. Unterman said she plans to speak with Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter and police Chief Charles Walters about possibly upgrading charges. She said she doesn't want situations - prostitution and sexual exploitation - like those tolerated in downtown Atlanta, the military bases of Columbus and streets of Savannah to arise in Gwinnett. "It's the Broken Glass Syndrome, if you let it happen in one neighborhood, it'll happen in all the neighborhoods," Unterman said. "We're saying in our community that we're not going to tolerate this."   Sex-trafficking fight goes beyond streets Churches unite and lead legislative efforts. Exploitation of underage children among crimes targeted. By Christopher Quinn The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sunday, June 14, 2009 For more than a century, congregants at North Avenue Presbyterian Church had little reason to think that anything other than worship was going on at their corner of North and Peachtree. In 2005, they found out others had set up shop. Teenage prostitutes, according to a mayor’s report on child sex trafficking, had begun working within a few steps of the familiar inscription from Matthew on the church’s wall: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Members of the congregation, appalled by the report, told the Rev. Scott Weimer they wanted to take action. “I didn’t know what to do,” Weimer said, “but their response inspired me to move forward.” Four years later, they have helped build an extraordinary coalition of Presbyterians, Catholics and nonbelievers, conservative Christians and feminists, Jews and Muslims, city dwellers and suburbanites, all of whom have found a cause involving religion, politics and sex they agree on: eradicating child prostitution from the streets of Atlanta. “When you … talk to a girl who is 15 and has been prostituted, it doesn’t matter anymore if you are pro-life or pro-choice,” said Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford), who has become active in the campaign. “You just want to help, and debate about women’s issues or Democrat or Republican or black or white just stays away.” Beyond the streets These folks are not out in the streets, stalking pimps and picking up children. They’ve selected a different battlefield to which they bring particular gifts: the Legislature, the courts, fund-raising. This year, for example, the group provided hundreds of volunteers to lobby at the Capitol for anti-trafficking legislation. Members also are paying for additional safehouses for child prostitutes ­- tripling the number of beds from seven to 23. “We couldn’t wait for the politicians to solve this thing,” said Marla Randolph of Sandy Springs Church of the Redeemer, part of the evangelical Presbyterian Church in America. “And we can’t sit back and do nothing.” It is more than being against sin, the religious groups say. There is a new flowering of justice movements and emphasis on social issues that has resulted in evangelicals campaigning against the torture of suspects in the war on terror and faith-groups speaking out on global warming. Child exploitation Atlanta’s sex trafficking problem is a big one to tackle. In 2002, The FBI broke up a ring of 14 men pimping girls as young as 10. The bureau cited Atlanta in 2003 as one of 14 U.S. cities with the highest rate of children being used for prostitution. Last February, Atlanta was one of 23 cities FBI agents targeted in a prostitution and pimp sweep. The nonprofit Juvenile Justice Fund estimates that 200 to 300 children are pimped in Atlanta each month, based on watching Web sites, calls to escort services and observation of known prostitution areas. The children’s backgrounds typically include chaotic home lives, abuse, acting out in school and expulsion, poverty, running away and being “rescued” by men who later pimp them. The Rev. Weimer remembers the mayor’s report, which contains stories like that of a 12-year-old Atlanta girl who was imprisoned by an adult pimp in a bedroom with barred windows. The girl was rescued by an aunt as the pimp was preparing to take her out of Georgia. “If we are a congregation that extends the love of Christ first to our community, then to the world, what does this mean for us?” Weimer asked. Street Grace His congregation coalesced with members of the Regional Council of Churches, Concerned Black Clergy of Atlanta and a group of largely suburban nondenominational churches that had formed Unite!, an organization dedicated to justice and social issues. They formed the group Street Grace (for “Galvanizing Resources Against Child Exploitation”) and hired a consultant to create an action plan. It pushed the faith community into wider cooperation with law enforcement, social services, other faiths and political groups with which they often contend as opponents. “Being a self-proclaimed feminist, I haven’t had much chance to work with the far right,” said Stephanie Davis, policy adviser on women’s issues for Mayor Shirley Franklin. “But the issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children creates an automatic response in any human being. No one has personal ownership of that issue.” Legislative effort Sen. Unterman sponsored Senate Bill 69 this year, which created better reporting of child sex trafficking. Supporters also proposed $5 fees on anyone entering a strip club, which would go to treatment of young prostitutes, and to raise the age to get a stripping license from 18 to 21. When Atlanta did that in 2007, 2,600 women had to turn their licenses in, said Davis, of the mayor’s office. They knew the adult entertainment industry would oppose the last two bills. Cheryl DeLuca-Johnson of 12Stone Church in Gwinnett County took a job heading Street Grace. She had experience working in addiction-treament nonprofits that prepared her to shape the new organization. Street Grace offered training in lobbying, and hundreds of volunteers showed up, talked to legislators and put a white carnation on their desks. Senate Bill 69 passed, but the other two bills “died quietly,” Davis said. Coalition members met May 19 to plot strategy on reviving the failed legislation and on new initiatives. A growing problem? Even as its members work on what comes next, Street Grace is finding that the exploitation of underage children is not just a downtown problem. In late May, Gwinnett police raided a bar in Lilburn and discovered a 15-year-old girl from Acworth stripping. Two adults were arrested, and the girl was returned to her mother’s custody. DeLuca-Johnson said she was not surprised by the report. “And this was in Lilburn. Not downtown,” she said. “Last night at a meeting at a church, they were talking about a girl that was abducted in Winder and prostituted in Atlanta. “We,” she said, referring to suburban residents, “keep trying to say it is not in our backyard, but it absolutely is       Weekly Chamber Report   Week of January 12-16: Day 1-5     This Week….     In the Spotlight   Sen. Tommie Williams Sworn in as President Pro Tempore   Sen. Tommie Williams (R-Lyons) was elected senate president pro tem. on Monday.   “My Senate colleagues have shown me great support today by electing me to serve as their president pro tempore, and I am humbled by their vote of confidence,” said Sen. Williams.  “I have the greatest respect for every member of the Senate, and am proud of the bipartisan spirit that our chamber embodies.  This year it will be crucial to put party politics aside and work together in the best interest of all Georgians.”    After serving 11 years in the Senate, Sen. Williams was nominated for pro tem by his peers during the Republican caucus elections in November.  Sen. Williams becomes the 67th president pro tem in the history of Georgia, the Senate’s second-highest ranking position after the lieutenant governor.    Sen. Williams has served the Senate as majority leader since 2005, working with the president pro tem and lieutenant governor to develop successful policy decisions and serving as the primary spokesperson for the majority party.  Among his numerous committee assignments, Sen. Williams served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Assignments and as vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.     During the 2008 session, Sen. Williams passed two pieces of important legislation for Georgia.  The first made significant reforms to the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) laws, giving patients a chance to maximize the full potential of healthcare providers, increasing competition and innovation, as well as allowing for an innovative cancer treatment center to come to Georgia.  He also passed a measure to help failing colleges and universities across the state regain accreditation status.       Sen. Chip Rogers Sworn in as Senate Majority Leader   State Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) was sworn in as Senate Majority Leader Monday on the first day of the 2009 Georgia General Assembly.    “It is an honor and privilege that my colleagues have entrusted me to serve as majority leader during this crucial stage in Georgia history,” said Sen. Rogers.  “We as a legislative body have an enormous responsibility to the taxpayers and remember not to advance our own political interests; rather remember that we work for the individual citizens and we are here to represent their best interests.”    Now entering his forth term in office, Sen. Rogers was elected majority leader by his peers during the Republican caucus elections in November.  Senator Rogers now holds the second-highest ranking position in the State Senate.  The majority leader is the primary spokesperson for the majority party, often working with the lieutenant governor and president pro tempore to develop policy decisions.  The majority leader also sets the calendar for the legislative session.   Sen. Rogers has served the Senate most recently as chairman of the Finance Committee.  During his tenure in the Senate, Senator Rogers sponsored and passed a widespread and significant list of legislative accomplishments including the nation’s strongest immigration enforcement laws.  Senator Rogers has additionally championed identity theft and protection legislation, Georgia’s first credit freeze law, Second Amendment protection, and the third strongest dog fighting restrictions in the country.  Most recently Senator Rogers authored the “Transparency in Government Act” which requires state expenditures be placed on a searchable Website so taxpayers can see how their money is spent.   Senator Rogers was also named to several influential committees, including Finance, where he will now serve as secretary, Committee on Assignments, Administrative Affairs, Banking and Financial Institutions, Economic Development, Insurance and Labor, and Reapportionment and Redistricting.  He will serve as an ex-officio member on the powerful Rules and Appropriations committees.     Reactions to State of the State   President Pro Tempore Tommie Williams and Majority Leader Chip Rogers offer their reactions to the Governor’s State of the State address this week:   “The Governor’s address reiterates the importance of building a stronger Georgia by creating a leaner, more efficient government.  Like many Georgia families and small businesses, we must make tough decisions in order to balance our checkbook.  I am committed to working with both the Governor and the House to do what is best for Georgians in these tough economic times.”   Sen. Tommie Williams Senate President Pro Tempore   “Governor Perdue’s speech is a reminder that in light of tough economic times, we should be thankful that we resisted the temptation in recent years to spend excess revenue. The decision to build up our rainy day fund to more than $1 billion will prevent us from having to make even more serious cuts to essential government services.”   Sen. Chip Rogers Senate Majority Leader     Sen. Hill Presents Budget Reality to Senate Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jack Hill spoke on the Senate floor this morning regarding Georgia’s recent revenue numbers and the budget challenges facing the legislature this year. Despite hearing the reality of the budget shortfall and the gap between last year’s and this year’s revenue numbers, State Senate leaders expressed an understanding of the daunting challenge they are facing and vow to implement solutions for Georgia’s long-term benefit.  With the 2009 budget shortfall at $2.2 billion, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle is convinced that any fixes the General Assembly tries to implement must be fiscally responsible and sustaining.   “We are facing a very challenging budget season and should prepare for the worst while we hope for the best.  It is my priority this year to balance this budget, not by seeking the aid of creative revenue enhancements, but by making the tough decisions to fund essential government services and cutting those that are not,” said Cagle.  “I am confident in the Senate leadership as we work toward implementing strong, fiscally responsible policies that will steer our great state for many years to come.”   Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jack Hill spoke to the Senate floor this morning on Georgia’s recent revenue numbers.  Senator Hill showed Georgia’s income tax was down almost 2.7% compared to last year at this time, and that the state is showing a serious decline in December 2008 revenues as compared to December 2007.  Senator Hill noted that it is difficult to say whether revenues will continue to slip through 2009, and he urged his Senate colleagues to enter this General Assembly with a conservative mindset.   “There’s no doubt we are facing difficult times now and with the uncertainty of knowing where the bottom will be, there has never been a more pressing need for all legislators to be as informed and open-minded as possible in working together on the State’s budget,” said Hill.  “Working with the governor and our colleagues in the House I believe Georgia will be fine in the long-run, as long as we look at sustainable solutions.  That’s why things like the Rainy Day Savings fund were created - to help with unpredictable times and it’s that type of mentality that will allow us to prosper long into the future.”   Senator Hill noted during his presentation that while it is difficult to be positive in Georgia’s current economic state, he reminded state leaders that recent drops in oil and food prices, a stable manufacturing industry with new automobile plants entering the state, a growing Savannah port and the historically resilient U.S. economy as a whole are ways to look at Georgia with an optimistic future.     Senate Welcomes New Members   The State Senate welcomed five new members this week: Lester Jackson (D-Savannah), Freddie Powell Sims (D-Albany), John Crosby (R-Tifton), Gail Buckner (D-Morrow) and Jim Butterworth (R-Turnerville).  Incoming senators took the Oath of Office and were officially sworn in as the Senate convened for the first day of the 2009 Legislative Session.   “It was an honor to welcome each new senator today,” said Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle.  “We look forward to working together as we focus on the priorities set before us this session.  With a looming budget shortfall, I’m confident the Senate will produce well constructed legislation that will put the most important needs of Georgians first.”         Committee News   Joint House and Senate Science and Technology Committee   Georgia lawmakers got a first-hand look at the upcoming nationwide transition to digital television on Wednesday’s joint House and Senate Science and Technology Committee at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta.  Georgia State Senator Cecil Staton (R-Macon) co-chaired the meeting and is committed to help prepare the public for next month’s scheduled transition.   The Georgia Broadcast Association (GBA) believes fewer than three percent of Americans will be unprepared for the switch. They noted that the city of Atlanta ranks 56th in the nation as the most prepared city and rural Georgians will be affected most by the transition. The new high digital television will make more channels available to people who live in rural Georgia.    On February 17 the traditional analog television signal will become obsolete. Digital converter boxes will be needed to receive over-the-air broadcast channels on televisions that use antennas. Converter boxes cost about $40 dollars each, and the U.S. Congress has allocated two coupons for every household. So far, 43 million coupons have been mailed out.   Senator Staton notes that anyone looking for further information on the digital television transition can either call the Federal Communications Commission at 1-888-CALL-FCC or visit their digital TV information website at DTV.gov.       Joint Senate and House Economic Development Committee   Co-chairmen State Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) and Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) convened the first Joint Economic Development Committee meeting of the 2009 session at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta.  The committee focused on the housing industry and announced their plans to introduce a housing tax incentive plan.         “The overall agenda of the Senate and House Economic Development Committees this year will focus on doing everything we can at the state level to recover the housing industry, and to recover Georgia first,” said Sen. Pearson.  “After our meeting in December with housing industry representatives, it became clear that we need a stimulus plan to jumpstart the housing market and the economy as a whole.  We will aggressively pursue this measure to ensure it moves quickly through the legislative process so that we can provide immediate relief to homebuyers.”                            Chairmen Pearson and Stephens then assigned respective members to three subcommittees that will focus on the housing tax credit legislation, property tax reduction, and regulatory reform.  These subcommittees will begin holding joint hearings later this month.   Representatives of the building and housing industry delivered a recap of the initial meeting on the housing market in December, and the committee also heard from the Georgia Economic Development Association on their legislative agenda for 2009 that includes programs within the OneGeorgia Authority,  Quick Start workforce training and local development authorities     Joint House and Senate Education and Youth Committee   The Education and Youth Committee held a joint session this week to outline this year’s goals to improve Georgia’s school systems. Georgia State Senator Dan Weber (R-Dunwoody) co-chaired the meeting and is prepared to support the committee in this session’s production of constructive legislation.   The committee listened as State Superintendent of Schools, Kathy Cox, led them through detailed goals made in accordance with the pressing needs of Georgia’s students. The six goals covered were increasing high school graduation rates, strengthening teacher quality, improving students’ workforce readiness skills, developing strong educational leaders, improving test scores, and creating policies that ensure the maximum academic and financial accountability.             To accomplish these goals, Cox plans to provide a positive career ladder to incentivize teachers with financial rewards and increased responsibilities.  More students will have access to agricultural and technical classes to improve their workforce readiness for industries contributing to Georgia’s economy.  Cox also wants to implement a risk ratio system which would better track student progress from an earlier age to prevent student failure before it’s too late.   School systems have already seen a steady increase in improvement. Eighty-nine percent of 2003’s original Needs Improvement (NI) schools have achieved removal from the list, reducing the number of NI schools from 533 to 59 schools by 2008. With the increased benchmarks for adequate yearly progress (AYP) in 2004-2005, the percentage of schools making AYP has increased by 2.4% since 2003.     Senate Press Office 201 Paul D. Coverdell Legislative Office Building 18 Capitol Square Atlanta, Georgia 30334 404.656.0028 or outside the Atlanta area 800.282.5803   MEDIA ADVISORY                                                        MEDIA ADVISORY For Planning Purposes Only                                     For Information Contact: January 12, 2008                                                       Raegan Weber, Director                                                                                       Matt Colvin, Communications Associate                                                                                       matthew.colvin@senate.ga.gov                                                                                       404.656.0028          Joint Commission on Sexual Exploitation of Minors to Hold Press Conference Announcing Legislative Recommendations   ATLANTA, GA (January 12, 2009) — Senator Renee Unterman (R-Buford) will hold a press conference in conjunction with Representative Calvin Hill (R-Canton) on THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2009 at 2:00 pm in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building Senate Press Conference Room. Members from the Joint Commission on Sexual Exploitation of Minors plan to announce their legislative recommendations.  Three potential pieces of legislation have emerged from the data which are:   Implementing a surcharge on the entrance into an adult entertainment business. Changing the age of erotic dancers from a minimum age of 18 to 21. Require proof of age & tie enforcement to licensing regulations. Amend GA Code 19-7-5, mandatory reporting of child abuse, to also report a child who they suspect is being prostituted by someone other than a "parent or caretaker."   State Senator Jack Murphy (R-Cumming) will be in attendance to discuss the proposed adult entertainment surcharge legislation and be available for questions.   Legislators in attendance will be available after the press conference for interviews.   WHO:             Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) – co-chairman                         Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Canton) – co-chairman                         Sen. Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta)                         Sen. Jack Murphy (R-Cumming)                         Rep. Amy Carter (D-Valdosta)                         Rep. David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge)                         Kaffie McCullough, Juvenile Justice Fund Cheryl Deluca-Johnson, StreetGRACE Rev. Scott Weimer, North Avenue Presbyterian Church Sharon Saffold-Harris, A Future. Not A Past. Wendell Phillips, Presbytery Public Policy Committee Ray Newman, Georgia Baptist Convention   WHAT:           Sexual Exploitation of Minors Joint Commission Press Conference               WHEN:           Thursday January 15, 2009                         2:00 p.m.   WHERE:        Coverdell Legislative Office Building                         Senate Press Conference Room - Room 203 18 Capitol Square Atlanta, GA 30334     # # # # Sen. Renee Unterman serves as Chairman of the Government Oversight Committee. She represents the 45th Senate District which includes a portion of Gwinnett County.  She can be reached at 404.463.1368 or by email at renee.unterman@senate.ga.gov.