Prominent Ill. legislator 'Lou' Jones dead

CHICAGO, May 9 (UPI) -- Illinois State Rep. Lovanna "Lou" Jones, an outspoken African-American who served as assistant majority leader of the state House for six terms, has died.

Jones, a Democrat, was elected to represent Illinois' 26th legislative district on Chicago's South Side in 1987. She rose to the top ranks of state government before her death at 68, serving as assistant majority leader.

The Ohio-born Jones chaired the House Public Safety Appropriations Committee and was a strong advocate of women's issues, prison reform and bills to lower infant mortality, teen pregnancy and unemployment.

"Lou believed in fairness and equality, and that's what drew me to her," State Rep. Monique Davis told Tuesday's Chicago Tribune.

The Tribune said Jones was a supervisor for the Chicago Intervention Network, an anti-gang initiative, when she was tapped by the late Mayor Harold Washington to run for state office. She served 10 terms in the Illinois General Assembly.