Thank you Attorney General Dave Yost for visiting and speaking with our club. Club President Nathanael Billow we believe now holds the record for the most guests invited to attend a single meeting. What a wonderful turnout to welcome General Yost.
He discussed being a former Rotarian and shared with us the 2024 Attorney General Annual Highlights Report (click here to view web version of the report). He graciously commended his team for their many accomplishments and educated us on the office of the Attorney General.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has played a vital role in shaping Ohio’s past and present with more than 30 sections and special divisions, each with distinct duties:
ANTITRUST promotes competition in the marketplace by enforcing state and federal antitrust laws. The section also offers training to government personnel on detecting bid rigging and safeguarding the procurement process against vendor collusion.
APPEALS, headed by the Ohio Solicitor General, represents the state and its agencies on appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court. The section also determines the cases for which the state will seek review and the positions it will take in those cases.
BUREAU OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION (BCI), the state’s official crime lab and criminal records repository, serves the criminal justice community and offers expert investigative services to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. BCI has five major divisions: Identification, Laboratory, OHLEG, Special Investigative Services and Technical Investigations.
CHARITABLE LAW regulates charities in the state to ensure that donations are not misappropriated and that proceeds are used for charitable purposes. The section encourages sound board governance, oversees a registry of charities and professional solicitors, and licenses bingo operations. It also represents Ohio’s Liquor Commission, Lottery Commission, Horseracing Commission and Casino Commission. CIVIL RIGHTS represents the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, prosecuting cases on its behalf. The section also conducts free training for employers, HR professionals, landlords, condo associations and businesses throughout Ohio to promote compliance with fair employment and fair housing laws.
COLLECTIONS ENFORCEMENT collects outstanding debt for state government agencies, boards and commissions, and all public colleges and universities. The section also works with more than 539 local governments and courts to collect their outstanding debts.
CONSTITUENT SERVICES operates the Attorney General’s Help Center, which the public can contact to file a complaint against a business; report tips on illegal gaming, health care fraud and patient abuse; request educational materials; and more. Ohioans can reach the Help Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays by calling 800-282-0515.
Photo L-R:
Julie Brandle, Immediate Past District Governor
Katy Miller, President Elect
Attorney General Dave Yost
Cheryl Warren, Past District Governor
Nathanael Billow, Club President 2024-2025
