Vivian Flowers
| Vivian Laveda Flowers | |
Arkansas State Representative
for District 17 | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Hank Wilkins |
|---|---|
| Born | September 4, 1969 Place of birth missing |
| Nationality | African-American |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Residence | Pine Bluff, Jefferson County Arkansas |
| Alma mater | University of Arkansas at Little Rock Clinton School of Public Service |
| Occupation | Diversity officer at UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock |
| Religion | African Methodist Episcopal Church |
- For the African-American state senator from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, see Stephanie Flowers,
Vivian Laveda Flowers (born September 4, 1969)[1] is a personnel specialist and politician, a Democratic state representative for District 17, which includes a portion of Jefferson County. [2]
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]
Political career
In 2014, Flowers was nominated by the Democratic Party and elected without opposition in House District 17 to succeed her fellow African-American 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]
Flowers formerly resided in San Bernardino, California, and Takoma Park, Maryland, in suburban Washington, D.C., dates unavailable.[8]
References
- ↑ Vivian Flowers. Mylife.com. Retrieved on January 25, 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Vivian Flowers. arkansashouse.org. Retrieved on April 15, 2015.
- ↑ District 17. ballotpedia.org. Retrieved on January 25, 2021.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Opponents of Religious Freedom Bill Point Out Law Differences, Possible Unintended Consequences. Fox Channel 16 (April 1, 2015). Retrieved on April 14, 2015.
- ↑ HB 1228. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on January 25, 2021.
- ↑ Indiana, Arkansas try to stem religious objections uproar. Atlantic Broadband (April 3, 2015). Retrieved on April 14, 2015; no longer accessible on-line.
- ↑ Gov. Hutchinson signs revised religious freedom bill; HB 1228 recalled. KTHV-TV (April 2, 2015). Retrieved on April 15, 2015.
- ↑ Vivian Laveda Flowers. inteliius.com. Retrieved on January 25, 2021.