Vivian Flowers
Vivian Laveda Flowers (born c. 1969)[1] is a Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 17, which includes a portion of Jefferson County.[2]
Vivian Laveda Flowers | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from the 17th district | |
| Assumed office January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Hank Wilkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1969 Pine Bluff, Jefferson County |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Pine Bluff, Jefferson County Arkansas, USA |
| Alma mater | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Clinton School of Public Service |
| Occupation | Diversity officer at UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock |
She works as a diversity officer at the UAMS Medical Center in the capital city of Little Rock, Arkansas. A resident of Pine Bluff, she is also in the south central section of her state.
Flowers holds a degree in Political Science and Technical Writing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She received a master's degree from the Clinton School of Public Service, also in Little Rock. She is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.[2] Her cousin, Stephanie Flowers, currently serves in the Arkansas Senate for District 25.
Political career
In 2014, Flowers was nominated by the Democratic Party and elected without opposition in House District 17 to succeed fellow Democrat Hank Wilkins, who was term limited.[3] Flowers sits on committees for Revenue and Taxation; and Aging, Children, and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs.[2]
In February 2015, Flowers was among twenty legislators who opposed House Bill 1228, authored by Republican Bob Ballinger of Carroll County in northwestern Arkansas.[4] The measure sought to prohibit government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion.[5] Flowers's colleague, Representative Camille Bennett, a Democrat from Lonoke, called for a reworking of the legislation[6] on the theory that the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test," which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature.[4] The legislation was subsequently passed by a large margin in the House and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson.[7]
On April 2, 2020, Flowers became the second Arkansas state legislator to test positive for COVID-19.[8]
Flowers formerly resided in San Bernardino, California and Takoma Park, Maryland, in suburban Washington, D.C., dates unavailable.[1]
References
- "Vivian Laveda Flowers". inteliius.com. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- "Vivian Flowers". arkansashouse.org. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- "District 17". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- "Opponents of Religious Freedom Bill Point Out Law Differences, Possible Unintended Consequences". Little Rock, Arkansas: Fox Channel 16. April 1, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
- "HB 1228". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
- "Indiana, Arkansas try to stem religious objections uproar". Atlantic Broadband. April 3, 2015. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
- "Gov. Hutchinson signs revised religious freedom bill; HB 1228 recalled". Little Rock: KTHV-TV. April 2, 2015. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- Moritz, John (3 April 2020). "Second member of Arkansas House infected". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
| Preceded by Hank Wilkins |
Arkansas State Representative for District 17 (Jefferson County) Vivian Laveda Flowers |
Succeeded by Incumbent |