Senator Renee Unterman was first elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2002 after having served two terms in the Georgia House of Representatives. She serves as Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, Vice-Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and a member of the Rules and Appropriations Committees. On the Appropriations Committee, Senator Unterman is Vice-Chair of the Department of Human Resources, responsible for formulating the division's budget. She also works on the Appropriation subcommittee of the Department of Community Health. Recently, Senator Unterman was appointed by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle to serve on an Executive Branch committee to re-organize and update the Department of Human Resources and to analyze its agency structure serving Georgians.
Senator Unterman grew up in Gwinnett County and graduated from Berkmar High School. She earned her Nursing degree from Georgia State University and performed her nursing training at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. She completed her undergraduate degree in Social Work at the University of Georgia in Athens. During her post-graduate schooling, Senator Unterman worked as an emergency room and critical care nurse in Atlanta and Athens. She then continued working as a critical care/coronary care nurse at Grady.
As Mayor of Loganville for three terms, Senator Unterman worked to build a library, widen Highway 78, create senior programs, fight water pollution, and improve parks. She improved public safety by opening a new fire station and police headquarters. As a county commissioner, Senator Unterman continued the creation of new parks with the building of Lenora, Lawrenceville, and Bethesda along with Tribble Mill parks. She also worked to improve conservation and water quality. One of the greatest accomplishments to her legacy was the purchase of 90 acres to start the foundation of Georgia Gwinnett University on Highway 316 in 1994.
In the State House of Representatives for two terms, Senator Unterman, even though she was in the minority Republican Party, began her interest in protecting consumer and human rights. Her leadership skills were demostrated as she fought medical insurance companies to give patients the right to choose their own hospital. She authored new legislation to protect the elderly and disabled against abuse with the campaign - "It's a felony to kick a dog, why not if it's a Grandma?".
Senator Unterman has a long history in public service of showing interests in issues related to senior citizens. She is the only legislator to ever receive two years in a row, 2004 and 2005, the coveted Georgia Council on Aging "Legislator of the Year" Award for outstanding performance assisting seniors with laws and appropriations. In 1996, Senator Unterman founded and served as Chairman of Friends of Gwinnett County Services, a private charitable organization that has been nationally recognized as a leader in community service and public-private partnerships. In 2008, "Care of a Grandchild Act" became a law enabling grandparents to have the legal rights and abilities to take care of their grandhildren in hardship cases.
Serving as State Senator for three terms, Senator Unterman has focused on laws governing health care, consumer rights, mental health, drug convictions, the exploitation of minors, and changes to Georgia's Ethics laws. Having served for many years in local governments, her experience has become invaluable in writing or revising local governing charters, authorities or laws affecting their governing abilities. She has been recognized twice by the Georgia Municipal Association.
After 130 years of Democratic Party control, the General Assembly and Governor's office began the transition in 2002 to Republican dominance. Senator Unterman was the first woman ever elected into Senate leadership. She served first as Treasurer of the Senate Republican caucus and then elected as Secretary for another term.
Senator Unterman has dedicated many years serving on non-profit boards in the local northeast Georgia region,including the Gwinnett County Soil & Water Conservation Board, the Gwinnett/Newton/Rockdale Board of Health, Boy Scouts of America, the Gwinnett County and Walton County Chamber of Commerces, Greater Gwinnett Republican Women, the Gwinnett Council for the Arts, and Gwinnett Cancer Society.
On the national level, Senator Unterman serves on the American Legislative Exchange Council as a member of the Health Services Committee. For the National Council of State Legislators (NCSL), she serves as a Vice-Chairman on the Health/Social Services Committee representing Georgia. She is also a member of Next Generation Sportsmen and other legislative sporting organizations promoting hunting and fishing as a quality way of life.
Senator Unterman has two children, Zak and Rachel. She is a native Georgian and lives in northern Gwinnett County outside Buford.
