Sanders served one term in the House of Representatives during the 88th General Assembly, where he was vice-chairman of the House Public Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Public Transportation and Rail; a member of the Joint Committee on Energy; and a member of the Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee. He was a non-voting member of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

In 2011, he sponsored Act 1200 to Enhance the Public Integrity of Certain Regulatory Agencies and Act 204, the Athlete Agent Reform Act. He also sponsored Act 303, the Arkansas Financial Transparency Act of 2011. Sanders was a founding member of the Fayetteville Shale Caucus, now the Legislative Oil and Natural Gas Caucus, and served on the leadership team of the 46-member House Republican Caucus.

Sanders is a proponent of tax reform legislation and voted to lower the sales tax on food, to reduce the taxes on the purchase of used vehicles and to cut taxes on manufacturers’ utility bills.

While a member of the House, Sanders received the Advocate for Justice Award from the Arkansas Prosecuting Attorneys Association for his work to protect Arkansas families from crime.

Sanders, a native of Walnut Ridge, has a bachelor’s degree from Ouachita Baptist University. He has worked for the state’s Office of the Governor and spent six years in the energy services industry. From 2000-2009 he wrote a column published by Stephens Media Group in more than 25 newspapers statewide. He also produced and hosted “Unconventional Wisdom” for the Arkansas Educational Television Network and frequently contributed to the station’s “Arkansas Week” program. In 2002, Arkansas Business named Sanders one of “40 Under 40,” a recognition highlighting the state’s future leaders in business and politics.

Senator Sanders currently works as the director of institutional advancement for the Arkansas Baptist School System. He is an active member of Little Rock’s First Baptist Church, where he is an ordained deacon. He and wife Rebecca, a school teacher, have four sons and one daughter.