Sarah Lightner
Republican · MI · Michigan State Representative, District 45
Sarah Lightner was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2018. The 45th House District includes portions of Calhoun and Jackson counties.
Where Sarah Lightner stands, based on their records
Supports
Anti-Corruption (2 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (12 records), Public Education Quality (5 records),
Opposes
Immigration (5 records), Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (2 records), Women's Reproductive Rights (1 record),
Mixed record
Environment and Public Health (2 support · 13 oppose), Government Efficiency (9 support · 1 oppose), Government Spending Reduction (2 support · 1 oppose),
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 2 support · 13 oppose
Voted for House Bill 4350, which lets people put out small amounts of feed for wild birds near home despite deer feeding bans. The House agreed to the Senate version 76-32 and it became law.
July 3, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5707, a bill to let landowners dig a pond under 1 acre for home use without a state permit. The House passed it 63-44. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 24, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5502, a bill to exempt wetlands created by accident from state regulation. The House passed it 58-49. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 24, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5069, a bill to ban food containing certain dyes and additives from 2029. The House passed it 56-51. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 17, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5536, a bill to narrow state wetland protection to wetlands connected to federally protected waters. The House passed it 57-51. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 4, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5711, a bill to repeal Michigan's clean energy standards, including 100% clean energy by 2040. The House passed it 57-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 12, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5710, the utility-rules half of a plan to repeal Michigan's clean energy standards. The House passed it 58-47. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 12, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4445, a bill to let hunters bait deer anywhere in Michigan during open deer seasons. The House passed it 66-38. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
February 4, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4486, a bill to bar local governments from banning natural gas or propane. The House passed it 61-42. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
December 17, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4160, a bill to bar state rules stricter than federal standards without a finding of clear need. The House passed it 59-41. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
September 24, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4369, a bill to bar schools from serving food with certain dyes and additives from July 2028. The House passed it 58-47. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
July 1, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4283, a bill to let a utility running pre-2024 gas engines in the Upper Peninsula skip clean energy filings. The House passed it 83-26. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 7, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4028, a bill to repeal the 2023 law letting the state override local zoning for large wind and solar projects. The House passed it 58-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
April 30, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4027, the zoning half of a plan to repeal the 2023 state siting law for large wind and solar projects. The House passed it 58-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
April 30, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored a law moving $9.15 million from a state land fund into the general fund to help cover Michigan's 2020 pandemic budget shortfall. The House passed it 105-0 and the Governor signed it as Public Act 168 (House Bill 6116).
October 1, 2020Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Anti-Corruption
Anti-Corruption · 2 support
Voted for House Bill 4052, a bill to bar legislators and their staff from signing nondisclosure agreements about official work. The House passed it 80-28. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
February 25, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored a law requiring approval before a state agency renews a contract without taking bids. The House passed it 106-1.
October 1, 2020Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 9 support · 1 oppose
Voted for House Bill 5937, a bill to cut the state's time to say whether a permit application is complete from 30 days to 7. The House passed it 58-49. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 25, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5938, a bill to require wetland permit hearings within 30 days of a complete application. The House passed it 62-45. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 25, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5936, a bill to make the state refund the full fee when it misses an environmental permit deadline. The House passed it 58-49. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 25, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5082, a bill to make the state assess whether land is a wetland within 60 days, for free. The House passed it 57-50. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 24, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 6038, a bill to limit when the state can ask for changes to a wetland permit application. The House passed it 61-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 17, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5504, a bill to create a State Digital Service Office to review big state software projects. The House passed it 57-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 20, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5505, a bill to create a digital oversight office in the Legislature. The House passed it 57-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 20, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Publicly called on Michigan's corrections director, Heidi Washington, to resign after two inmate deaths at the women's prison in Ypsilanti.
May 20, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: gophouse.org
Sponsored a four-bill package letting legal documents be signed, notarized and recorded electronically during the COVID-19 emergency. All four became law the same day.
November 5, 2020Supports Government Efficiency
Source: michiganvotes.org
Cast one of only two no votes on a bill changing how absentee ballots are counted. It passed 106-2.
February 19, 2020Opposes Government Efficiency
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Immigration
Immigration · 5 oppose
Voted for House Bill 4339, a bill to void county rules that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. The House passed it 58-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 1, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4342, a bill to withhold revenue sharing from local governments that limit immigration cooperation. The House passed it 57-49. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 1, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4338, a bill to void city and township rules that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. The House passed it 58-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 1, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4341, a bill to bar people who are not citizens or qualified immigrants from state housing programs. The House passed it 63-43. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 1, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4340, a bill to bar people who are not citizens or qualified immigrants from most public assistance. The House passed it 63-43. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 1, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 2 support · 1 oppose
Helped negotiate and pass a bipartisan state budget deal funding schools and first responders with no new taxes.
July 20, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: gophouse.org
Voted for Senate Bill 723, which widens the transformational brownfield program, allowing another $80 million a year of tax capture. The House passed it 82-26 and it became law.
July 3, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored a law extending courts' power to bill convicted defendants for building and staff costs. She sponsored this same extension repeatedly, including in 2020 and 2024.
October 7, 2022Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 12 support
Voted for Senate Bill 293, which lets agencies require a care deposit from the owner of an animal seized in a cruelty case. The House passed it 84-24 and it became law.
July 3, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 294, which lets agencies require a care deposit from the owner of an animal seized in a torture case. The House passed it 84-24 and it became law.
July 3, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5574, a bill to make it a crime to ignore a first responder's warning and come within 25 feet to interfere. The House passed it 74-30. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 9, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5036, a bill to make fertility fraud a felony carrying up to 5 years in prison. The House passed it 60-49. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
February 18, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5037, a bill to set a 15-year time limit for charging the new fertility fraud crime. The House passed it 61-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
February 18, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored a law expanding the police powers and territory of the Legislature's sergeants at arms. It also added oversight and training standards; the House passed it 61-48.
November 18, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: michiganvotes.org
Introduced a bill creating a state grant program to help police solve more violent crimes, paying for investigators, technology, and victim support services (House Bill 5097).
October 14, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: gophouse.org
Voted for House Bill 4315, a bill to make the State Police build and hand out school safety training each year. The House passed it 82-24. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 14, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4222, a bill to make every school have a crisis team and review emergency plans every three years. The House passed it 80-26. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 14, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored a law on the fees courts charge people they convict. It barred jailing someone for nonpayment without first checking they had genuinely tried to pay.
April 30, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: michiganvotes.org
Sponsored a law letting Michigan's parole board wait up to five years, instead of two, between parole reviews for prisoners it finds still dangerous. The House passed it 101-8 and the Senate 35-2 (House Bill 4562, Public Act 28 of 2022).
March 11, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: michiganvotes.org
Voted against widening which criminal records Michigan lets people clear. She was one of 10 no votes; it passed 98-10.
November 5, 2019Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 2 oppose
Voted for House Bill 4664, a bill to make blocking traffic during a highway protest a crime carrying up to 93 days in jail. The House passed it 61-42. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
September 16, 2025Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored a law extending courts' power to bill convicted defendants for building and staff costs. She sponsored this same extension repeatedly, including in 2020 and 2024.
October 7, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support · 5 oppose
Voted for House Bill 5145, a bill to bar accepting an applicant's own statement as proof of identity or income for public assistance. The House passed it 58-49. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 23, 2026Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5812, a bill to bar the state from waiving food assistance work requirements without legislative approval. The House passed it 58-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 3, 2026Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 6013, a bill to suspend Bridge cards used outside Michigan for more than 90 days in a row. The House passed it 58-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 3, 2026Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4515, a bill to put the recipient's photo and signature on the Bridge card for food and cash aid. The House passed it 60-38. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
September 17, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4746, which makes the state give every food or cash aid recipient a chip-enabled Bridge Card within a year. The House passed it 77-28 and it became law.
September 3, 2025Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted to scale back Michigan's earned sick time law before it took effect. The House passed the rollback 67-38.
January 23, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 5 support
Voted for House Bill 5081, a bill to make every school district employ a dyslexia teacher by 2027. The House passed it 66-40. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 18, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5819, a bill to move up the required start of standards-based reading materials to July 2026. The House passed it 56-50. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 10, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5820, a bill to move up the deadline for teacher training courses to add dyslexia instruction. The House passed it 56-50. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 10, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5520, a bill to bring back holding third graders back for reading from the 2027-2028 school year. The House passed it 57-49. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 3, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4159, a bill to base early grade reading standards on the science of reading. The House passed it 65-40. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
April 17, 2025Supports Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Women's Reproductive Rights
Women's Reproductive Rights · 1 oppose
Voted against repealing the ban on abortion referrals by campus offices serving pregnant and parenting students. It passed 56-54.
November 1, 2023Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Election Integrity
Election Integrity · 4 support
Voted for House Bill 5845, a bill to keep electronic poll book data for 22 months after an election. The House passed it 62-45. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 17, 2026Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4720, a bill to bar voting systems with parts from companies on the federal security threat list. The House passed it 63-41. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
April 14, 2026Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4602, a bill to let local election boards build their own test ballots from any source. The House passed it 63-41. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
September 9, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4356, a bill to mail notices to voters who have not voted in 8 years and make them confirm their address. The House passed it 56-41. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 12, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Personal Income Tax Reduction
Personal Income Tax Reduction · 2 support
Voted for House Bill 4747, a bill to let taxpayers deduct contributions to other states' college and disability savings plans. The House passed it 72-32. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
October 21, 2025Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4170, a bill to cut the state income tax rate from 4.25% to 4.05% and make future automatic cuts permanent. The House passed it 65-43. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
March 18, 2025Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Data Privacy
Data Privacy · 1 support · 2 oppose
Sponsored a law letting researchers use juvenile court records under strict data protection agreements. The House passed it 103-3.
July 24, 2026Opposes Data Privacy
Source: michiganvotes.org
Voted for House Bill 5974, a bill to give parents the right to see a minor's medical records. The House passed it 61-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 24, 2026Opposes Data Privacy
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4242, a bill to make health professionals keep patient records physically in the United States or Canada. The House passed it 71-39. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 6, 2025Supports Data Privacy
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 9 oppose
Voted for House Bill 4466, a bill to let the state discipline health professionals who break the proposed minor gender care ban. The House passed it 57-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 3, 2026Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4467, a bill to bar puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and gender surgery for minors. The House passed it 57-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
June 3, 2026Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4765, a bill to make the state check every voter registrant's citizenship against databases. The House passed it 58-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
April 14, 2026Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4915, a bill to bar requiring implicit bias training for health professional licenses. The House passed it 56-45. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
December 11, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4024, the student restroom privacy act, a bill to require school restrooms to be used by sex at birth. The House passed it 58-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
September 4, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4066, a bill to make schools label sports teams by sex as listed on the original birth certificate. The House passed it 58-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 22, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4469, a bill to let schools decide who plays school sports by biological sex at birth. The House passed it 59-45. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 22, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted against setting 18 as Michigan's minimum marriage age. She was one of 11 no votes; the bill passed 98-11.
June 21, 2023Opposes Civil Rights
Source: michiganvotes.org
Voted against widening which criminal records Michigan lets people clear. She was one of 10 no votes; it passed 98-10.
November 5, 2019Opposes Civil Rights
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Corporate Accountability
Corporate Accountability · 2 support · 5 oppose
Voted for House Bill 5652, a bill to bar neighbors within 5 miles of an existing motor racing track from suing it. The House passed it 64-38. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
March 19, 2026Opposes Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4582, a bill to restore the rule that property owners owe no duty to warn visitors of open and obvious dangers. The House passed it 58-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
March 11, 2026Opposes Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4949, a bill to widen the shield protecting sport shooting ranges from noise lawsuits. The House passed it 56-51. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
March 10, 2026Opposes Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5298, a bill to make a passenger's own auto insurance pay first for injuries in limousines and charter buses. The House passed it 67-40. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
February 24, 2026Opposes Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5035, a bill to let people harmed by fertility fraud sue for three times their damages. The House passed it 61-48. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
February 18, 2026Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 4933, a bill to repeal state licensing of fee-charging personnel agencies. The House passed it 57-46. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
December 17, 2025Opposes Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored a law creating penalties for businesses that charge people for services the government provides free. She followed it with a 2022 law widening the ban.
July 1, 2021Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 2 support
Voted for House Bill 4951, which sets a new 24 percent wholesale tax on marijuana to pay for road work. The House passed it 78-21 and it became law.
September 25, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: legiscan.com
Voted to raise Michigan's motor fuel tax as part of the 2025 road funding package. It passed the House 62-46.
March 19, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: michiganvotes.org
Track record — General
General · 6 records
Was endorsed by Michigan Farm Bureau's AgriPac, the state farm lobby's political arm, for the 2026 primary.
August 1, 2026
Source: michfb.com
Was endorsed by Citizens for Traditional Values PAC, a Michigan conservative group, for the 2026 primary.
July 15, 2026
Source: ctvmichigan.org
Voted against House Bill 5744, a bill to make shooting at an occupied vehicle a felony carrying up to 10 years. The House passed it 79-24. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
May 14, 2026
Source: legiscan.com
Voted against House Bill 4492, a bill to let employers require tipped workers to share tips. The House passed it 57-52. The Senate has not voted on it, so it is not law.
January 14, 2026
Source: legiscan.com
Voted against letting more stores sell liquor for off-site drinking. She was one of seven no votes; it passed 90-7.
September 17, 2025
Source: michiganvotes.org
Sponsored a law naming an honorary memorial highway. She sponsored several such road-naming bills across her terms.
December 20, 2019
Source: michiganvotes.org
Past races Sarah Lightner ran in:
- 45th District Representative in State Legislature 2 Year Term (1) Position · November 3, 2026 · State House District 45; Michigan · incumbent
- State Representative District 45 · August 4, 2026 · State House District 45; Michigan · incumbent