Biography

Senator Dan Sullivan represents Arkansas Senate District 20, encompassing parts of Craighead County, including the cities of Jonesboro and Bono. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected to the Arkansas Senate in November 2020 and sworn in during the 2021 regular session. Prior to his tenure in the Senate, Sullivan served three terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2015 to 2021.

In his legislative career, Sullivan has been actively involved in education reform. In 2019, he co-sponsored legislation to raise the minimum starting salaries for public school teachers. During his first term in the Senate, he co-sponsored bills amending the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, including Act 310 of 2021, which allows citizens to use personal devices to copy public documents, and Act 572 of 2021, which amends the awarding of attorneys’ fees under the original act. He also sponsored legislation permitting Arkansas businesses and banks to hold annual or special shareholder meetings remotely.

Sullivan is retired from the healthcare industry and previously served as an administrator in the Jonesboro School System. He enjoys golf, hunting, and fishing. He resides in Jonesboro with his wife, Maria, and is a father of two adult children with two grandchildren.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Science in Education from Arkansas State University
  • Master of Science in Education in School Administration from Northeast Missouri State University

• Political Experience:

  • Arkansas House of Representatives, District 53: 2015–2021
  • Arkansas State Senate, District 20: 2021–present
  • Vice-Chair of the Senate Education Committee
  • Member of the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee
  • Member of the Joint Performance Review Committee
  • Member of the Senate Interim Committee on Children and Youth
  • Member of the Joint Budget Committee
  • Member of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee