Mary E. Flowers (born July 31, 1951) is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives and serves as the House Deputy Majority Leader. She represented the 31st district from January 9, 1985 to January 13, 1993, represented the 21st district from January 13, 1993 to January 8, 2003, and represents the 31st district again since January 8, 2003. On January 14, 2021, Flowers became the longest serving African-American legislator in Illinois history.

Early life and education

Flowers was born on July 31, 1951, in

Inverness, Mississippi Inverness is a town in Sunflower County, Mississippi, Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,019 at the 2010 census. As the town had the largest cotton gin in the Delta, it served as a gathering place for farmers from th ...

. Her family moved to Chicago when she was a child. She attended local schools in Chicago, Kennedy King Community College and the

University of Illinois at Chicago The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, adjacent to the Chicago Loop. The second campus established under the University of Illinois ...

Political career

Mary Flowers was first elected to the 84th General Assembly as a Democrat from the 31st district in 1985. She is currently serving her 19th term as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives and serves as House Deputy Majority Leader for the 102nd General Assembly.

Illinois State Representative

Committees

During her tenure in the Illinois House of Representatives, Flowers has served on several different committees covering a range of topics and issues in the House of Representatives. Below is a list of her current and historical committee assignments. As of 2022, Flowers has the following committee and subcommittee assignments: *Adoption & Child Welfare committee *Health Care Availability & Access committee (Vice-Chairperson) *Human Services committee *Mental Health & Addiction committee *Prescription Drug Affordability committee *Child Care Access & Early Childhood committee *Medicaid Subcommittee

Legislation

Flowers' primary legislative focus has been on health and child welfare matters. She has been the principal sponsor of legislation related to medical patients rights, medical managed care reform, health insurance reforms, hospital and nursing home staffing standards, licensure of lay midwives, adverse health event reporting, health facility regulatory reform, medical and dental practice reforms, and public health/communicable disease control. Flowers has been the primary sponsor of several bills that became law, including the following list: Representative Flowers supports

universal health care Universal health care (also called universal health coverage, universal coverage, or universal care) is a health care system in which all residents of a particular country or region are assured access to health care. It is generally organized ar ...

, and has repeatedly filed related legislation and conducted public hearings to promote such reforms throughout her legislative career – House Bill 311, The Illinois Universal Health Care Act – of the 97th General Assembly is the primary model. Flowers has emphasized the safety of children in substitute care within the child welfare system regulated and administered by the

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is the code department of the Illinois state government responsible for child protective services. , Marc Smith is the acting Director of Children and Family Services. The DCFS Offic ...

, an agency and system that has experienced repeated tragedies and the subject of continuous judicial oversight. Flowers has received awards during her tenure, including 1993 "Legislator of the Year" award from Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, which is now the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health Care.

Personal life

Flowers was married to Daniel Coutee; the couple had one daughter, Makeda. Coutee died in September 2019. Flowers also has two grandchildren.

Electoral history

References

External links

Representative Mary E. Flowers (D) 31st District
Illinois General Assembly
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http://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?GA=94&MemberID=913 94th]
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Illinois House Democrats {{DEFAULTSORT:Flowers, Mary E. Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives 1951 births Living people Women state legislators in Illinois People from Inverness, Mississippi African-American state legislators in Illinois African-American women in politics 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American politicians 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women