Rep.
Mary E. Flowers
(D-Chicago)
31st District
District
Office
2525 West 79th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60652
(773) 471-5200
(773) 471-1036 (fax)
251-E Stratton Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-4207
(217) 782-1130 (fax)
E-mail: flowersme@ilga.gov|
"I am honored to serve and protect the interests of the residents of the 31st District and the state of Illinois." -Mary E. Flowers |
In the News Publications
Bill
Sponsorships Committees District
Profile & Map*Bill
sponsorship and committee information courtesy of the Legislative Information
System
Biography As a strong advocate for our children, Representative Flowers sponsored
"Kids Initiative 95," which is a series of bills pertaining to children's
legal rights and needs. She also introduced legislation that created the
state's first in-school daycare center at a Chicago public high school.
As a champion for better health care, Flowers was the architect and original
sponsor of The Illinois Managed Care Act of 1999. This new law effectively
reforms health care and health maintenance organizations operating in
the state of Illinois. Flowers considers this law to be her most substantial
professional accomplishment.
To strengthen her community and neighborhoods, Flowers passed legislation
to encourage the State Treasurer to deposit funds in banks located in
minority communities and to increase loans to minority owned and operated
businesses. Flowers also led the movement to rename Calumet Expressway
after Bishop L. Ford. The Bishop L. Ford Highway became the first expressway
in Illinois named after an African American.
Flowers sponsored the first low-income energy assistance program in
the state of Illinois. She sponsored legislation to keep public pension
funds from being invested in South Africa and a resolution urging the
release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners in South Africa.
She also proposed legislation requiring African-American sensitivity training
for all police officers in Illinois.
Over the years, Flowers has served in many legislative leadership positions
including Assistant House Majority Leader; Illinois Conference of Women
Legislators; Co-Chairperson, House Democratic Task Force on Abused and
Neglected Children; and Minority Spokesperson, House Insurance Committee.
In addition, she has served as a member of numerous House Committees including
Health and Human Services, Financial Institutions, Consumer Protection,
Sub-Committee on Child Welfare, Task Force on Welfare Reform, and Task
Force on School Violence.
Prior to being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, Mary
Flowers held a position at the University of Chicago and served as a volunteer
for former Chicago Mayor, Congressman and State Senator Harold Washington.
Flowers attended Kennedy King Community College and the University of
Illinois-Chicago. She lives in the Chicago community with her husband,
Daniel, and their daughter Makeda.
Awards and Honors:
State Representative
Mary Flowers was first elected to the Illinois House in 1985. Rep. Flowers
has devoted her career to the needs and rights of children, fighting for
working families, encouraging company investment in minority areas, bringing attention to
issues concerning public aid recipients, and increasing the availability
and quality of health care in Illinois.
