Flowers seeks 6th term in Arkansas House
Vivian Flowers announced today that she is seeking reelection to the Arkansas House of Representatives for a sixth term, representing District 65, which is made up of parts of Jefferson and Arkansas counties.
First elected in 2014, Flowers “has been a strong advocate and consistent voice on critical issues such as health, education, criminal and social justice, voting rights and good government, as well as heritage tourism development in South Arkansas,” according to a news release.
“In nearly nine years of legislative service, I don’t think my call to serve has been stronger than it is right now,” said Flowers. “She added, “At a time when public education, justice, voting rights, women’s reproductive rights, civility and ethics in government, and economic opportunity for poor and middle income Arkansans hang in the balance; leadership not only matters, it’s crucial.”
A recipient of local, state and national legislative awards for her leadership and legislative work at the forefront and behind the scenes of numerous issues, Flowers has sponsored and co-sponsored dozens of bills that have passed into law “and others that did not pass but elevated public discourse and awareness,” stated the release.
As a freshman and sophomore legislator, she focused on family reunification (Act 993), heritage tourism (Acts 451 & 776), minority business expansion and fair elections (Act 1014). In 2019, Flowers sponsored and passed legislation that ended child marriage (Act 1028), expanded government transparency by requiring audio recording and storage of public meetings (Act 849), and continued her commitment to growing the state’s heritage tourism footprint in South Arkansas with the “Arkansas Delta Music Trails Act” (Act 1066). In 2021, she sponsored and co-sponsored criminal justice reform, rail safety, government oversight, consumer protection, and pharmaceutical drug access/cost/safety measures (Acts 992/1103/1945/1053).
During the recent regular session of the 94th Arkansas General Assembly, “Flowers was laser focused on education, criminal justice reform, and government transparency,” according to the release. “As a member of the House Education Committee, Flowers was one of the most ardent voices in opposition to the Learns Act, while she worked to pass HB1013 to establish a path to restoration of the 2nd Amendment rights of non-violent felons.” The measure passed out of the House with 85 votes, but failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“I work hard to pass good legislation during the session and even harder to study the ones that aren’t passed into law in preparation for the next session,” according to Flowers. “During the next term, I hope to help bring local and state Southeast Arkansas leaders together toward a more unified effort to bring resources and opportunities to the part of the state that is rich in so many ways yet too often last or overlooked.”
Leadership has been a significant part of Flowers’ distinguished service in Arkansas and the nation. She currently serves as secretary for the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL), and previously served as Region X Chair (2018-2020) as well as chair of the NBCSL COVID-19 Working Group (2020).
During her first term, Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed Flowers to the Governor’s Council on Medicaid Reform, and in 2017 she was elected chair of the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus during her sophomore term. Flowers serves on the House Education and House Insurance & Commerce, Joint Energy, Joint Budget, and the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) committees. She is the vice chair of the ALC Policy Making Subcommittee.
A fifth generation Arkansan, Flowers is an inaugural graduate of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and professional technical writing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is the daughter of Mary and Dr. John A. Flowers, Sr., and is a member of St. John A.M.E. Church as well as a lifetime member of the Pine Bluff branch of the NAACP.