COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dave Yost on Monday released the 2026 edition of Ohio’s Sunshine Laws manual, commonly known as the “Yellow Book,” offering updated guidance on public records laws and warning government officials against using messaging apps that automatically delete communications.
The manual, issued annually during Sunshine Week, serves as a guide to Ohio’s public records and open meetings laws and is designed to help both public officials and residents understand their rights and responsibilities regarding government transparency.
This year’s edition includes new guidance advising public officials to avoid platforms that automatically delete messages, including apps such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Snapchat.
“Self-destructing messages are for movie characters, not public officials,” Yost said in a statement. “Using disappearing messages will only self-destruct your career and your credibility.”
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, whether a message qualifies as a public record depends on the content of the communication, not the platform used to send it. Automatically deleting communications before they can be preserved or reviewed could violate the state’s Public Records Act.
In the introduction to the manual, Yost pointed to a recent case, Ohio v. Wade Steen, involving members of the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio who were found to have secretly discussed a $65 billion investment outside normal board procedures. A judge ruled in February that the officials violated their fiduciary duties and barred them from serving on the board in the future.
Yost said cases like that highlight the importance of transparency in government and the damage secrecy can cause to public trust.
In addition to publishing the manual, the attorney general’s Public Records Unit offers free Sunshine Laws training sessions for public officials. The training, also offered through the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, is required at least once during each elected term for public officials or their designated representatives. The sessions are also open to the public.
Sunshine Week was first launched in 2005 to promote open government and public access to information. The observance takes place each year during the week that includes the birthday of James Madison, a leading advocate for government transparency.
