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. 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.
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
| Representative Flowers' Previous Committee Assignments |
| Committee Name |
General Assembly |
| Health Care Availability & Accessibility (Chair) |
101st, 100th, 99th, 98th, and 97th |
| Health Care Availability & Access (Chair) |
90th through 96th |
| Health & Healthcare Disparities |
99th, 98th, 97th and 96th |
| Health Care & Human Services |
89th |
| Healthy Illinois Plan |
93rd |
| Prescription Drug Affordability |
101st |
| Youth & Young Adults |
99th |
| Economic Justice & Equity |
100th |
| Economic Opportunity |
100th |
| Medicaid Reform |
96th |
| Medicaid Reform, Family & Children |
96th |
| Human Services |
90th through 101st, and 84th |
| The Disabled Community |
92nd |
| Restorative Justice |
100th, 99th, and 98th |
| Economic Development & Housing |
99th |
| Higher Education |
100th, 99th, 98th, 97th, 96th, 95th, and 84th |
| Juvenile Justice & System-Involved Youth |
99th |
| Small Business Empowerment & Workforce Development |
99th and 97th |
| Accountability & Administrative Review |
98th |
| Environmental Health |
97th |
| Special Investigative Committee |
96th and 95th |
| Agriculture & Conservation |
97th and 96th |
| Smart Growth & Regional Planning (Vice Chair) |
95th |
| Department of Children & Family Services Oversight |
95th |
| Drivers Education & Safety |
95th |
| International Trade & Commerce |
94th |
| Fee For Services Initiatives |
94th and 93rd |
| Special Committee and Tobacco Settlement Proceeds |
92nd |
| Special Committee on Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Distribution |
91st |
| Children & Youth |
92nd and 91st |
| Labor and Commerce |
87th, 86th, 85th, and 84th |
| Commerce & Business Development (Vice Chair) |
93rd and 92nd |
| Financial Institutions |
89th, 86th and 85th |
| Consumer Protection |
89th |
| Insurance (Minority Spokesperson) |
89th |
| Executive |
88th, 87th and 86th |
| Public Utilities (Vice Chair) |
88th, 87th, 86th, and 85th |
| Real Estate Law (Chair) |
87th |
| Registration & Regulation |
87th, 86th, and 85th |
| Museums, Arts& Cultural Enhancement |
100th and 98th |
| Implementation of Chicago School Reform |
86th |
| Appropriations – Elementary & Secondary Education (Vice Chair) |
94th and 93rd |
| Appropriations – Human Services |
90th and 87th |
| Appropriations Higher Education |
97th and 96th |
| Appropriations II |
86th, 85th, and 84th |
| Appropriations – General Services |
88th |
| Public Utilities |
Minority Spokesperson for 88th, Vice Chair for 87th, 86th, and 85th |
| Small Business |
85th and 84th |
| Housing |
85th |
| World's Fair 1992 |
84th |
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 direct-entry 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.
Representative Flowers supports universal health care, 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, an agency and system that has experienced repeated tragedies and the subject of continuous judicial oversight.
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
