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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Joyce Elliott is a Democratic member of the Arkansas State Senate, representing District 31. She was first elected to the chamber in 2008. Elliott is running for re-election in the primary on May 22, 2018. The general election will take place on November 6, 2018. She has served as the State Senate Majority Whip.

Elliott served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006.

Elliott was born on March 20, 1951. She earned her B.A. in English and speech from Southern Arkansas University in 1973 and her M.A. in English from Ouachita Baptist University in 1981. Her professional experience includes working for The College Board, as a High School Teacher in Arkansas, Texas, Florida, and Minnesota, and as the director of legislative outreach for the Southwestern Region for The College Board.

Education

  • Certified, Senior Executives in State & Local Government, Harvard Kennedy School, 2013
  • MSE, English, Ouachita Baptist University, 1979-1981
  • BSE, English/Speech, Southern Arkansas University, 1969-1973

Professional Experience

  • Certified, Senior Executives in State & Local Government, Harvard Kennedy School, 2013
  • MSE, English, Ouachita Baptist University, 1979-1981
  • BSE, English/Speech, Southern Arkansas University, 1969-1973
  • Former Teacher, El Dorado High School
  • Former Teacher, Joe T. Robinson High School, Pulaski County School District
  • Former Teacher, McClellan High School
  • Director of Government Relations, Southwest Region, College Board, 2003-2010

Political Experience

  • Certified, Senior Executives in State & Local Government, Harvard Kennedy School, 2013
  • MSE, English, Ouachita Baptist University, 1979-1981
  • BSE, English/Speech, Southern Arkansas University, 1969-1973
  • Former Teacher, El Dorado High School
  • Former Teacher, Joe T. Robinson High School, Pulaski County School District
  • Former Teacher, McClellan High School
  • Director of Government Relations, Southwest Region, College Board, 2003-2010
  • Senator, Arkansas State Senate, District 31, 2009-present
  • Majority Leader, Arkansas State Senate
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Arkansas, District 31, 2020
  • Candidate, Arkansas State Senate, District 31, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2018
  • Majority Whip, Arkansas State Senate, 2011-2014
  • Representative, Arkansas State House of Representatives, District 33, 2001-2007
  • Candidate, Arkansas State House of Representatives, District 33, 2002, 2004

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Constitutional Amendments Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Education Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Joint Executive Subcommittee (Joint Legislative Auditing), Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Joint Girls State Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Co-Chair, Joint Subcommittee on Charitable, Penal, and Correctional Institutions, Arkansas State Senate

Former Chair, Joint Subcommittee on Educational Institutions, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Joint Subcommittee on Higher Education, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Judiciary Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Legislative Facilities Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Public Retirement and Social Security Programs Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Subcommittee on Desegregation Litigation Oversight, Arkansas State Senate

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Educational Institutions, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Subcommittee on Executive Committee, Arkansas State Senate

Former Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Policy Making, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Subcommittee on Review, Arkansas State Senate

Former Member, Subcommittee on Special Language (Budget), Arkansas State Senate

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Arkansas Legislative Council

Vice Chair, Education Committee

Member, Efficiency Committee

Member, Insurance and Commerce Committee

Member, Joint Budget Committee

Member, Joint Committee on Legislative Auditing

Member, Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security Programs

Member, Joint Oversight Committee on Academic Facilities

Member, Joint Subcommittee on Charitable, Penal, and Correctional Institutions

Member, Joint Subcommittee on Educational Institutions

Co-Chair, Joint Subcommittee on Lottery Oversight

Member, Joint Subcommittee on Medicaid

Member, Joint Subcommittee on Occupational Licensing Review

Vice Chair, Joint Subcommittee on Personnel (Arkansas Legislative Council)

Vice Chair, Joint Subcommittee on Personnel (Joint Budget)

Member, Joint Subcommittee on Policy Making

Member, Subcommittee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) (Joint Budget)

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • Certified, Senior Executives in State & Local Government, Harvard Kennedy School, 2013
  • MSE, English, Ouachita Baptist University, 1979-1981
  • BSE, English/Speech, Southern Arkansas University, 1969-1973
  • Former Teacher, El Dorado High School
  • Former Teacher, Joe T. Robinson High School, Pulaski County School District
  • Former Teacher, McClellan High School
  • Director of Government Relations, Southwest Region, College Board, 2003-2010
  • Senator, Arkansas State Senate, District 31, 2009-present
  • Majority Leader, Arkansas State Senate
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Arkansas, District 31, 2020
  • Candidate, Arkansas State Senate, District 31, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2018
  • Majority Whip, Arkansas State Senate, 2011-2014
  • Representative, Arkansas State House of Representatives, District 33, 2001-2007
  • Candidate, Arkansas State House of Representatives, District 33, 2002, 2004
  • Member, Arkansas Women’s Forum, present
  • Member, Board of Directors, Milton P. Crenchaw Aviation Training Academy, present
  • Member, National Conference of State Legislatures, present
  • Member, Southern Legislative Conference, present
  • Board Member, Accelerate Arkansas
  • Former Member, American Federation of Teachers
  • Member, Arkansas Women’s Leadership Forum
  • Member, Board of Directors, MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History
  • Board Member, City Year of Little Rock
  • Former Member, College Board of Trustees
  • Member, Democratic National Committee
  • First Vice Chair, Democratic Party of Arkansas
  • Board Member, Just Communities of Central Arkansas
  • Member, Mosaic Church
  • Member, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
  • Former Member, National Board, Professional Teaching Standards
  • Former Member, National Commission on the High School Senior Year
  • Former Board Member, National Commission on Writing in America's Schools and Colleges
  • Member, Resolutions Committee, Democratic National Committee (DNC)
  • Board Member, Women and Children First
  • Board Member, Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND) Education Fund
  • Participant, GlobalPOWER, Center for Women's Policy Studies, 2006
  • Participant, Foreign Policy Institute for State Legislators, Center for Women's Policy Studies, 2004

Other Info

— Awards:

  • Little Rock New Party's Community Service Award, 2001; Marty Schuller Community Service Award, The Central Arkansas Labor Council, 2003; PACESETTER, Women's Legislative Lobby, 2003; Ten Best Legislators of the 2003 General Assembly, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2003; The Working Families Hero Award, Service Employees International Union Local 100, 2003;
  • Women Who Mean Business Award, Business and Professional Women of Arkansas, 2003; Ten Women We Love, The Little Rock Monthly, 2004; Arkansas Spirit Award, Arkansas Chapter of the National Association of Women, 2004; Business Owners and the Impact Award, Arkansas Regional Minority Supplier Development Council, 2004; Recognized, Women and Children First: The Center Against Family Violence, 2004; President's Award, League of United Latin American Citizen, 2005; Power Player of the Year, Power Play Magazine, 2005; Arkansas Heroes Award for Peace and Justice, Omni Center for Peace and Justice and Ecology, 2005; Center for Healing Hearts and Spirits with its Advocacy Award, Omni Center for Peace and Justice and Ecology, 2005; Distinguished Alumni Award, Southern Arkansas University, 2005; Founder's Award, Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, 2005; Advocacy Award, Arkansas Public Service Association, 2005; Ten Best Legislators of the 2005 General Assembly, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2005; Humanitarian Award, National Conference for Community and Justice, 2006; Gressie Carnes Democratic Woman of the Year Award, Democratic Party of Arkansas, 2005; Civil Libertarian of the Year, American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, 2006; Legislative Friend of Children Award, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, 2006; Pillar Award for Education, Arkansas chapter of 100 Black Men, 2007.

Hobbies or Special Talents:

Reading, whitewater rafting, canoing, traveling, walking/hiking, working out at the gym, listening to all kinds of music, dancing and seeking a balanced life.

Policy Positions

2020

Abortion

Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Unknown Position

Campaign Finance

Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

Crime

Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Unknown Position

Defense

Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Unknown Position

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Unknown Position

3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes

Education

Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position

Energy and Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Unknown Position

Guns

Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No

2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Unknown Position

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- No

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- No

2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position

Trade

Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Unknown Position

Speeches