Stephanie Anne Flowers | |
|---|---|
| Member of theArkansas Senate from the 8th district | |
| Assumed office January 9, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Mathew Pitsch |
| Member of theArkansas Senate from the 25th[1] district | |
| In office January 14, 2013 – January 9, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Gene Jeffress |
| Succeeded by | Breanne Davis |
| Member of theArkansas Senate from the 5th district | |
| In office January 2011 – January 14, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Hank Wilkins |
| Succeeded by | Bryan King |
| Member of theArkansas House of Representatives from the 17th district | |
| In office January 2005 – January 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Calvin Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Hank Wilkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1953-08-08)August 8, 1953 (age 72) Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence(s) | Pine Bluff, Arkansas |
| Alma mater | Philander Smith College Thurgood Marshall School of Law |
| Profession | Attorney |
Stephanie Anne Flowers (born August 8, 1953)[2] is an Americanattorney andDemocratic politician, serving in public office since 2004. Flowers started in politics when she was elected in 2004 to the District 17 seat in theArkansas House of Representatives. In 2011, she was elected to theArkansas State Senate where she remains presently.[3]
Flowers graduated fromPhilander Smith College inLittle Rock and theThurgood Marshall School of Law, then known asTexas Southern University School of Law, inHouston,Texas. She became active in politics after returning toPine Bluff, Arkansas, where she joined the Democratic Party and established a private law practice.
Stephanie Flowers was born to Margaret Brown Flowers, an educator, andWilliam Harold Flowers, a notable attorney who pioneered desegregation of theUniversity of Arkansas School of Law at Fayetteville, AR.[7][8]
Her relative,Vivian Flowers, serves in the Arkansas House of Representatives for the 65th district[9] and previously District 17.
After graduating from Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Flowers returned to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where she entered into private practice.[10] Flowers served as a deputy prosecutor for the juvenile court in Jefferson County, Arkansas and has been a practicing lawyer for over 30 years.[11]
Stephanie Flowers serves as Vice Chair on the Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee[12] and on the Joint Budget Claims Committee.[13] Flowers also serves as a member on the following committees: Arkansas Legislative Council,[14] Joint Budget Committee,[15] City, County & Local Affairs Senate Committee,[16] Joint Energy Committee,[17] Children and Youth Senate Committee,[18] and the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus.[19]
Flowers went viral in early 2019 when she made passionate remarks[20] about debate on Senate Bill 484,[21] which removed the "duty to retreat" portion of theStand Your Ground law being presented before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[22] As discussion before the Committee about the bill surpassed two hours, there was a motion to limit commentary to 10 minutes per person.[23] As the only black member of the Committee, Flowers defended the right of citizens to debate the bill, remarking that people like her son don't "walk the same path."[24] Coverage of the remarks especially focused on Flowers's response toSenator Alan Clark after he cautioned her to stop yelling: "What the hell you going to do, shoot me?"[25]
