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Attorney General urges Senate to keep House funding levels, warns of federal shortfalls for victim services
Summary
Attorney General Dave Yost told the Senate Finance Committee the office's budget is mostly steady but cautioned that federal reductions have reduced funds for victims’ services; he urged a permanent funding stream for law enforcement training and said his office has grown self‑generating revenue from collections.
Attorney General Dave Yost told the Ohio Senate Finance Committee that his office’s biennial budget in the substitute House bill is “built on responsible stewardship” and asked the Senate to maintain the House funding levels while the office continues to evaluate statutory and programmatic changes in the sub bill.
Yost told senators the House‑filed substitute would appropriate $472,900,000 for fiscal 2026 and $486,900,000 for fiscal 2027 to support the attorney general’s work across 13 offices statewide. He said those amounts represent a 4.3% decrease from the FY25 estimated end budget for 2026 and a 2.9% increase in 2027.
On victim services, Yost said federal actions over the past several years have reduced the federal share of support for the Victims’ Services Fund (described in testimony as the Victims Scribe Fund), leaving state and local programs underfunded. He attributed the decline to changes in federal settlement handling and said congressional action has not restored the prior stream of funds. “The victim services community does not have enough money currently to properly fund their services,” he said, and added that he would consider asking this committee or the Controlling Board for supplemental funds if federal support does not materialize.
Yost also urged a permanent, predictable funding stream for peace officer training. He described a multi‑year build‑up of training funding and supported Governor DeWine’s proposal to dedicate part of marijuana excise tax revenue to create a $40 million‑a‑year permanent stream for law enforcement training. He reminded the committee that state law requires peace officers to complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing professional training annually and that agencies may be reimbursed for up to 40 hours.
Yost highlighted his office’s collections work and growth of the claims fund (Fund 4190), which holds fees from the collections and enforcement section; he said that work has permitted some costs to move off the GRF. He cited collections totals he described as records: $564,600,000 in fiscal 2023 and $581,500,000 in fiscal 2024, and said the office was on track for another strong year in 2025.
When asked about a House provision that narrows or alters investment authority for public entities, Yost said his office is still digesting the substitute bill language and would provide follow‑up. He also discussed public records and video‑release policies, noting his office published a model policy that allows local governments to waive fees for matters of public interest and suggesting the General Assembly could statutorily authorize waivers.
Yost closed by asking senators to maintain the House funding levels so the attorney general’s office can continue its current operations and statutory responsibilities.
