About Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson has been representing Arizona families in the State Legislature for 14 years, serving in both the State House and State Senate. Anderson currently serves as State Representative for District 18. He is Chairman of the House K-12 Education Committee, and serves on the Environment, Higher Education and Human Services committees.

In 2006, Anderson prime sponsored legislation to address the meth problem in Arizona. Anderson’s bill, which was passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor, was a comprehensive approach to dealing with the meth epidemic by allocating $8 million for interdiction, treatment, and prevention services.

In 2005, Anderson was the prime sponsor of legislation to remove junk food from vending machines in the public schools.

In 2003, Anderson was the prime sponsor of SB1291 which created a prison transition program to lower the recidivism rate and save taxpayer dollars being spent to incarcerate non-violent drug offenders. He also authored legislation to enhance service learning in the public school system and a bill to establish a pilot program to open Child Protective Services hearings to the public.

Anderson was also the author of legislation which allocates $1 million of federal welfare money for marriage skills courses which are being offered around the state. These courses along with a Healthy Marriage Handbook now given to every couple applying for a marriage license, are for the purpose of lowering the number of divorces in Arizona.

Anderson sponsored Arizona's Charitable Choice law which requires that state government not discriminate against faith-based organizations when contracting for services.

Anderson was also the prime sponsor of the nation's first tuition tax credit bill for private and public schools passed in 1997.

Other important bills Anderson has sponsored include: a charity tax credit for donors to private, non-profit groups helping low-income citizens; a $2 million dollar appropriation for abstinence education; a $1 million dollar appropriation for a counseling and mentoring program for young fathers; and a program that encourages churches to assist in the placement of foster children in their communities.

Anderson has consistently sponsored and supported pro-marriage and anti-pornography legislation, including the covenant marriage bill passed in 1998, and a bill to restrict minors' access to pornography on the Internet in public schools and libraries.

Family

Mark is married to Lucia Havens. Lucia works as an academic counselor and is active in the community.

Mark and Lucia have three children, Kendra (23), Nedd (21) and Ethan (17). Kendra is married and living in Maryland where she works and is involved in being a youth counselor in her church. She and her husband David have two children. Nedd is a student at Mesa Community College and is also married. Ethan is a senior at Heritage Academy and is a straight A student, plays on the basketball and football teams and loves computers. The Andersons have a family dog named Tuffy.

The Anderson family loves to vacation together, and has gone to New York City, the Oregon coast, Las Vegas, camping in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, Lake Tahoe, Utah -- including Moab and the Arches National Monument. Recently , they've been to Massachusetts, British Columbia, New Mexico, and Vail, Colorado.

Mark's favorite hobby is playing basketball. He also likes to travel and has visited Africa, the Ukraine, Korea, Mexico City, Honduras, Trinidad, Thailand, Turkey, Hawaii, Alaska, Berlin and London.

The Andersons attend church regularly and believe that God should be at the center of the family life. They end each day with prayer and a devotional reading. Both Mark and Lucia have served as full-time missionaries for their faith.

Paid for by Anderson for Congress.