The 2010 Award Recipient
During two separate legislative sessions,
Marie Civic Leadership Award Recipient State
Sen. Joyce Elliott has sponsored legislation
that would allow undocumented immigrants who
attended high school in Arkansas to receive
in-state tuition rates. Though both bills failed
to pass, Sen. Elliott's championing of the immigration
issue remains. Originally, the bill was supported
by Gov. Mike Huckabee. Her position was opposed
by many anti-immigration advocates.
In 2005, Elliott introduced HB1525, which
would provide in-state tuition prices to undocumented
immigrants if they attended high school in Arkansas
for no fewer than three years, graduated from
an Arkansas high school or received a general
education development diploma and had been admitted
to an institution of higher learning. "The idea
behind this is to provide opportunity for kids,"
Elliott said. Though HB 1525 passed the House,
it was defeated by the Senate. After the bill
failed 13-20, she had to be accompanied by a
state Capitol policeman when she appeared on
the senate floor, and it later became public
that she received death threats from sponsoring
the bill.
In 2009, Elliott again filed legislation
to grant in-state tuition to the children of
undocumented immigrants. "We're going to have
to decide, are we doing to take definitive steps
to challenge what is out there in the interest
of these kids and our state or are we just going
to acquiesce?" Elliott said. Despite receiving
support from University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
chancellor David Gearhart, the bill failed in
the Senate. "The bottom line is this: they are
in our state. They are not leaving," Elliott
said. "We can choose to have them here as educated
people, or we can choose to have them here as
folks that we deny an education to. That's our
choice."
About Joyce Elliott
 Senator
Joyce Elliott was elected to the Arkansas State
Senate in 2008 where she currently serves as
the Majority Leader. Prior to her service in
the Senate, she was elected as State Representative
in November 2000 where she served three successive
terms until December 2006.
Along with her duties as Majority Leader,
Elliott currently serves as a member of the
Senate Education Committee. During her tenure
in the House of Representatives, she has served
on the Committees for the Judiciary; Aging,
Youth, and Families; Education, where she chaired
the Subcommittee on Higher Ed; State Agencies;
and Budget. In her final term, she was Chair
of the Education Committee and served on the
committees for Insurance and Commerce, Budget,
Personnel and Energy.
For thirty-one years, Elliott taught high
school juniors and seniors. In June 2004, Elliott
left the classroom and began working for the
College Board, focusing on expanding access
to Advance Placement curriculum for students
currently underrepresented in AP classes: African
American, Latino, rural and low-income students.
Until February 2010, she was the Director of
Government Relations for the Southwest Region
of the College Board.
Elliott was born in Willisville, Arkansas,
where she graduated from high school. She earned
an undergraduate degree in English and Speech
from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia
in 1973 and a graduate degree in English from
Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia,
Arkansas, in 1981.
Awards and Recognition for Joyce Elliott
- Named one of the Ten Most Influential
Arkansas Legislators in 2009 by Talk Business
- Named one of the Ten Best Legislators
of the 2003 and 2005 General Assembly by
the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- Recognized by Women and Children
First: The Center Against Family Violence
for her legislative and personal activity
on behalf of families
- Awarded the Legislative Friend
of Children Award in 2006 by the Arkansas
Advocates for Children and Families
- Past recipient of the Gressie
Carnes Democratic Woman of the Year Award
in 2006
- 2006 Humanitarian Award from the
National Conference for Community and Justice
for her work on civil rights
- One of four individuals named
to Governor Beebe's Transition Team • Received
the Arkansas Spirit Award from the Arkansas
chapter of the National Association of Women
Business Owners in 2004
- Given the Impact Award from the
Arkansas Regional Minority Supplier Development
Council in 2004
|
