HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
REP. SARAH LIGHTNER
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
10:30 AM
Room 521, House Office
Building
The House Committee on Judiciary was called to order by Chair Lightner.
The Chair requested attendance to be called:
Present: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen, Schuette, Tyrone
Carter, Hope, Breen and Scott.
Absent: None.
Excused: None.
Representative BeGole moved to adopt the meeting minutes from March 11, 2026. There being no
objection, the motion prevailed with unanimous consent.
The Chair laid HB 4657, HB 4658, HB 4659 and HB 4660 before the committee:
HB 4657
(Rep. Tyrone Carter)
A bill to amend 1986 PA 182, entitled "State
police retirement act of 1986," by amending
section 24 (MCL 38.1624), as amended by
2018 PA 674.
HB 4658
(Rep. Young)
A bill to amend 1992 PA 234, entitled "The
judges retirement act of 1992," by amending
section 506 (MCL 38.2506), as amended by
2002 PA 95.
HB 4659
(Rep. Hope)
A bill to amend 1943 PA 240, entitled "State
employees' retirement act," by amending
section 31 (MCL 38.31), as amended by 2002
PA 99.
HB 4660
(Rep. Wozniak)
A bill to amend 1980 PA 300, entitled "The
public school employees retirement act of
1979," by amending section 85 (MCL
38.1385), as amended by 2006 PA 617.
Representative Hope testified in support of HB 4657, HB 4658, HB 4659 and HB 4660. Questions
and discussions followed.
Representative Wozniak testified in support of HB 4657, HB 4658, HB 4659 and HB 4660.
Questions and discussions followed.
Christopher Smith, representing the Elder Law and Disability Rights Section, testified in support
of HB 4657, HB 4658, HB 4659 and HB 4660. Questions and discussions followed.
Dee Lindenberger, representing the Elder Law Disability Rights Section, testified in support of HB
4657, HB 4658, HB 4659 and HB 4660.
Representative Tyrone Carter moved to report out HB 4657 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen, Schuette, Tyrone Carter,
Hope and Scott.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Scott moved to report out HB 4658 with recommendation. The motion prevailed
10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen, Schuette, Tyrone Carter,
Hope and Scott.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Hope moved to report out HB 4659 with recommendation. The motion prevailed
10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen, Schuette, Tyrone Carter,
Hope and Scott.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Wozniak moved to report out HB 4660 with recommendation. The motion
prevailed 10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen, Schuette, Tyrone Carter,
Hope and Scott.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid SB 616 before the committee:
SB 616
(Sen. Santana)
A bill to amend 2022 PA 85, entitled "Opioid
liability litigation act," by amending sections 2
and 3 (MCL 691.1672 and 691.1673), as
amended by 2023 PA 228.
Ashley Steffen and Matt Walker, both representing the Michigan Department of Attorney General,
testified in support of SB 616.
The following people submitted a card in support of SB 616, but did not wish to speak:
Linda Davis, representing Face Addiction Now.
James Johnson, representing the Michigan Association of Counties.
Representative Lightner moved to report out SB 616 with recommendation. The motion prevailed
10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen, Schuette, Tyrone Carter,
Hope and Scott.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid HB 5515 before the committee:
HB 5515
(Rep. Hoadley)
A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled "The
Michigan penal code," by amending section
227 (MCL 750.227), as amended by 1986 PA
8.
The (H-1) substitute to HB 5515 was previously adopted on March 11, 2026.
Representative BeGole moved to report out HB 5515 with recommendation, as substitute (H-1).
The motion prevailed 7-3-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen and Schuette.
Nays: Reps. Tyrone Carter, Hope and Scott.
Pass: None.
The Chair laid HB 5388 before the committee:
HB 5388
(Rep. Slagh)
A bill to amend 1931 PA 328, entitled "The
Michigan penal code," by amending section
224d (MCL 750.224d), as amended by 2018
PA 98.
Representative Johnsen moved to report out HB 5388 with recommendation. The motion prevailed
7-3-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen and Schuette.
Nays: Reps. Tyrone Carter, Hope and Scott.
Pass: None.
At 11:01 AM, the Chair laid the committee at ease.
At 11:05 AM, the Chair called the committee back to order.
The Chair laid HB 5281 before the committee:
HB 5281
(Rep. Harris)
A bill to regulate third-party litigation funding
transactions; to require disclosures in those
transactions; to establish the responsibilities of
litigation funding companies and of attorneys;
to require registration of litigation funding
companies; to impose fees; to provide for the
powers and duties of state governmental
officers and entities; to prescribe civil fines
and to provide remedies; and to require and
allow the promulgation of rules.
The following people submitted a card in support of HB 5281, but did not wish to speak:
Jacob Manning, representing the Small Business Association of Michigan.
Jack Trebtoske, representing the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Jazmin Kay, representing Uber.
Beth DeShone, representing the MI Forward Network.
Shawon Cecil, representing the MI Realtors.
Dawn Crandall, representing the Home Builders Association of Michigan.
Amanda Fisher, representing the NFIB.
Zach Rudat, representing the Michigan Alliance for Legal Reform.
Jerry Griffin, representing the Midwest Independent Retailers Association.
The following person submitted a card in opposition to HB 5281, but did not wish to speak:
Mitch Albers, representing the Michigan Association for Justice.
Representative Harris moved to adopt substitute (H-1) to HB 5281. The motion prevailed 9-1-1:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen, Schuette, Tyrone Carter
and Scott.
Nays: Rep. Breen.
Pass: Rep. Hope.
Representative Breen moved to adopt substitute (H-2) to HB 5281. The motion did not prevail
4-7-0:
UNFAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Tyrone Carter, Hope, Breen and Scott.
Nays: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen and Schuette.
Pass: None.
Representative Harris moved to report out HB 5281 with recommendation, as substitute (H-1).
The motion prevailed 7-4-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Lightner, BeGole, Wozniak, Harris, DeBoyer, Johnsen and Schuette.
Nays: Reps. Tyrone Carter, Hope, Breen and Scott.
Pass: None.
There being no further business before the committee, Chair Lightner adjourned the meeting at
11:13 AM.
Representative Sarah Lightner, Chair
Melissa Sweet
Committee Clerk
msweet@house.mi.gov