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 |
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 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Medical Center in the capital city of Little Rock. She resides in Pine Bluff 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; no longer on-line.
- ↑ 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 (Little Rock), April 2, 2015; no longer accessible on-line}}
- ↑ Vivian Laveda Flowers. inteliius.com. Retrieved on January 25, 2021.
