CHICAGO – With the rise of lead contamination found in drinking water throughout Chicago putting children and families at risk, state Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, is calling a hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 24 in Chicago to determine the causes and take steps to prevent additional contamination.

“It is unconscionable that drinking water in Chicago still contains dangerous levels of lead,” Flowers said. “This puts many in harm’s way through no fault of their own, and it is shameful that lead contamination continues to threaten our children and families across our city. Chicago must do better.”

At the hearing, Flowers and members of the House Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee will work to ascertain how and why the water supply in the city’s neighborhoods, especially its South and West sides where more African-American families reside, contains some degree of lead poisoning.

Following a shocking discovery of lead contamination in homes this summer, the city of Chicago suspended additional installations of water meters. Seven percent of metered homes were found to have lead in their water that exceeds federal safety limits. Flowers is encouraging residents to call 311, or visit www.chicagowaterquality.org/home, to access free water testing kits and filters.

“Our children deserve better than this, I will work to hold those responsible for this insulting reality accountable,” Flowers said. “Our drinking water must be safe and pure from any pollutant, and I look forward to the facts from this upcoming hearing.”

Who: State Rep. Mary Flowers and members of the House Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee

What: Hearing on High Lead Levels in Chicago Water

When: Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m.

Where: Michael A. Bilandic Building, 6th floor

160 N. LaSalle, Chicago

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – After Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1932 into law on Friday to  create the Property Tax Relief Task Force, state Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, was appointed to as a member to help craft solutions that will help reduce Illinois resident’s property taxes. 

“Property taxes are causing families throughout this state lots of problems and literally forcing people from their homes,” Flowers said. “The ownership of a home and properties are important factors to maintaining a strong middle class.”

Senate Bill 1932, supported by Flowers, creates the Property Tax Relief Task Force with appointments to be made by the governor and legislative leaders – including the Senate president, speaker of the House, as well as the minority leaders of both chambers. The task force would be charged with identifying potential policies that deliver property tax relief for homeowners.

“Attempts have been made to reform our property tax system in the past, but it is clear more needs to be done,” Flowers said. “My hope is that with everyone in a room we can provide a more comprehensive package that’ll lead to real relief for the families in our community.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A new law sponsored by state Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, will now demand hospitals to provide better blood pressure services to pregnant women, helping save their lives.

“It is unconscionable to think that in the United States, and even Illinois, pregnant women still face critical health care issues that could cost them their lives,” Flowers said. “For too long, pregnant women have not had the care and services they deserve just to help keep them alive, and that dilemma is far worse for African-American women, too. That’s why my legislation requires Illinois hospitals to take extra care for pregnant women when checking for high-blood pressure and other common health issues, as sometimes issues like maternal hypertension are missed and blood pressure inaccurately measured.”

Flowers’ House Bill 2433 requires every hospital in Illinois to ensure that it has all necessary and proper instruments available to measure a pregnant women’s blood pressure. Having the proper instruments will help pregnant women address any health issue they are facing, such as hypertension. As a result of under-measured and inaccurate signs of high-blood pressure, many pregnant women have died. The National Center for Biotechnology recently found that in-home devices that are used to help women report their measurements can improperly account for high-blood pressure readings.  

Flowers’ law empowers the Department of Public Health to administer the rules for hospitals to adhere to when taking pregnant women’s blood pressure.

“I strongly encourage all women to visit their doctors to receive an updated and accurate account for their health and well-being,” Flowers said. “I will never give up on fighting for the best possible care for women, and this new law is finally a step in the right direction.”

Flowers represents the 31st District, which includes portions of the Auburn-Gresham community in Chicago, Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Countryside and others. For more information, please contact Flowers’ constituent service office at 773-471-5200 or email her at maryeflowers@ilga.gov.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – This past weekend a bill championed by state Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, to ensure that the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program stays in line with the Federal Poverty Guidelines was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“This legislation will allow for families who are struggling to not have wait for politicians to have the courage to do what’s right to receive relief,” Flowers said. “Policies have not stayed up to date with the realities families face, so as a result they relief provided has become less and less effective over time.”

Flowers’ initiative, House Bill 3129, would require TANF benefit levels for each family size be maintained at 30% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) every time changes are made to the Federal Poverty Guideline. The most recent budget updated the amount of TANF to 30% of FPL after years of the state’s most impoverished receiving next to nothing. The bill requires that 75% of the cash assistance go to any children in a family receiving TANF assistance.

“My bill will make sure that if the federal government changes the FPL, families in Illinois won’t fall behind,” Flowers said. “I’m appreciate the governor’s decision to sign my bill, as this law will help make life for families in need a little easier.”

Flowers represents the 31st District, which includes portions of the Auburn-Gresham community in Chicago, Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Countryside and others. For more information, please contact Flowers’ constituent service office at 773-471-5200 or email her at maryeflowers@ilga.gov.

CHICAGO – A series of initiatives championed by state Representative Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, to improve the state’s health care system and begin the process of addressing the growing maternal and infant mortality crisis, were approved by the Illinois General Assembly.

“During my more than three decades in the Illinois General Assembly, we have accomplished significant change to help disadvantaged Illinoisans obtain needed health care,” said Flowers, chairwoman of the House Health Care Availability and Access Committee. Flowers thanked Reps. LaToya Greenwood, Rita Mayfield, Anne Stava-Murray and Celina Villanueva for being lead sponsors of the legislation. “This year, my legislative package will finally make the maternal and infant mortality a priority and result in more attention to this terrible public health crisis.”

Flowers cited a New York Times statistics that black infants in America are now more than twice as likely to die as white infants — 11.3 per 1,000 black babies, compared with 4.9 per 1,000 white babies, according to the most recent government data — a racial disparity that is actually wider than in 1850, 15 years before the end of slavery.

“In one year, that racial gap adds up to more than 4,000 lost black babies,” added Flowers.

“A black woman with an advanced degree is more likely to lose her baby than a white woman with less than an eighth-grade education. And this tragedy of black infant mortality is intimately intertwined with another tragedy: a crisis of death and near death in black mothers themselves. The United States is one of only 13 countries in the world where the rate of maternal mortality — the death of a woman related to pregnancy or childbirth up to a year after the end of pregnancy — is now worse than it was 25 years ago,” said Flowers.

The following legislative initiatives were passed by Flowers and now await Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s consideration:

• House Bill 1, which creates the Task Force on Infant and Maternal Mortality Among African Americans Act. The task force will: review research and data on causes and possible actions to reduce deaths and will require that information be produced in a report annually to the General Assembly. Senator Jackie Collins was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 2, which ensures that women’s rights are respected by empowering them to choose what type of treatment they prefer when giving birth. Senator Jackie Collins was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 3, which will require Illinois hospitals to report each instance of pre-term birth and infant mortality within their annual reporting period. This report will include the racial and ethnic information of the infants and the mothers and each instance of maternal mortality. Senator Jackie Collins was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 5, which ensures access to substance use services for pregnant and post-partum women, and among other things, requires hospitals, healthcare facilities, and birth centers to adopt a variety of protocols and quality improvement initiatives. Senator Jackie Collins was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 2438, which requires accident and health insurers to cover mental health conditions that occur during pregnancy or during the postpartum period, such as postpartum depression. Senator Jackie Collins was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 2895, will ensure medical staff for hospital wings with obstetric beds conduct annual education regarding the care of pregnant and postpartum women. Under the legislation, the Department of Public Health (DPH) will be required to develop an initiative on how to improve birth quality using proven models which improve birth equity, as well as how to provide hospitals with emergency rooms best practices for early identification of pregnant and postpartum women. Senator Elgie Sims was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 2896, which creates a Diversity in Health Care Professions Task Force with the goal of diversifying the health care workforce by equipping students with the necessary skills and support systems for careers in health care. Senator Elgie Sims was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 2897, which provides that the Department of Public Health (DPH) shall have to apply for all federal funding opportunities to support maternal mental health. Senator Jackie Collins was chief Senate sponsor.

• House Bill 3511, which directs the Department of Public Health to develop educational materials for health care professionals and patients about maternal mental health conditions. These materials must be distributed to employees regularly assigned to work with pregnant or postpartum women in birthing hospitals and incorporated into employee training no later than January 1, 2021. Senator Chris Belt was chief Senate sponsor.

“I encourage Governor Pritzker to sign these bills quickly and hope to work with him to ensure they’re implemented effectively,” Flowers said.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – With many urban areas in the State of Illinois containing vast food deserts and a lack of nutritional resources, state Rep. Mary E. Flowers, D-Chicago, is co-sponsoring a measure that will make it easier for small farmers and community organizations to provide fresh produce within designated urban agriculture zones.

“Systemic issues like the food desert epidemic plaguing African American communities at rates much higher than our counterparts need to be addressed and eradicated,” said Flowers. “Creating these agricultural zones within our communities will empower residents to create and grow for themselves instead of being forced to rely on the government or private grocery stores to bring in the fresh foods that our families and children need.”

House Bill 3418 would allow local governments to work with community members and organizations to create urban agricultural zones to combat food deserts. Food deserts are defined as areas that lack access to healthy foods or where it is difficult to purchase them. Designated urban agricultural zones would empower residents by encouraging urban farming and cultivation. Properties designated as zones could be eligible for property tax abatement and reduction as well as discounted rates on water, electricity and resources used toward the cultivation of produce.

“Since my time as the executive director of Grow Greater Englewood, I have been fighting for urban agriculture initiatives help my neighbors learn to make and grow healthy foods,” said state Rep. Sonya Harper, the bill’s principal sponsor. “There is not enough being done to help people in our communities live healthier lives, and this bill helps us finally do that.”

House Bill 3418 recently passed out of the House and is expected to be heard for consideration in the Senate in the very near future.

Flowers represents the 31st district, which includes portions of the Auburn-Gresham community in Chicago, Oak Lawn, Chicago Ridge, Countryside and others. For more information, please contact Rep. Flowers’ constituent service office at 773-471-5200 or email her at maryeflowers@ilga.gov.