Who is the Current Attorney General of Pennsylvania? Duties, Powers, and Latest Actions

The job of Attorney General of Pennsylvania comes with a lot of power. And a lot of noise. Dave Sunday has been in office for just over a year now. The honeymoon period is over. Voters want to see results. So how is he doing?

I have tracked Sunday’s moves since he took the oath on January 21, 2025. Some actions surprised me. He went after a DNA testing company. He launched a statewide complaint hotline. And he put Big Tech on notice about AI chatbots.

This is not a puff piece. I will tell you what works, what does not, and where Sunday still needs to prove himself.

Who is the Current Attorney General of Pennsylvania?

Most people do not think about their genetic data. They spit in a tube. They mail it off. They get a report about their ancestry. End of story.

But in June 2025, 23andMe filed for bankruptcy. The company wanted to sell everything. Including millions of customers’ DNA samples and health records. No warning. No opt-out. Just an auction to the highest bidder.

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Sunday did not wait. He joined 27 other attorneys general in a federal lawsuit to block the sale.

Here is why this matters. When you buy a DNA test, you consent to one thing: learning about your family tree. You do not consent to having your genetic code sold to some random buyer. That buyer could be a pharmaceutical company. Or a data broker. Or an insurance firm looking for pre-existing conditions.

Sunday put it simply. He said consumers "certainly did not expect their sensitive data to one day be sold off to a highest bidder.

The lawsuit is still pending. But the message is clear. Sunday sees consumer privacy as a core duty of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania.

If you are one of the millions who used 23andMe, Sunday’s office advises you to delete your data. The deadline to file claims in the bankruptcy case passed in July 2025. But you can still ask 23andMe to destroy your sample.

A Single Number for All Complaints: 1-866-PACOMPLAINT

Before May 2025, filing a complaint in Pennsylvania was confusing. Did you call the Attorney General? The Insurance Department? Banking and Securities? Most people gave up.

Sunday and Governor Shapiro fixed that. They launched a "no wrong door" system. One phone number: 1-866-PACOMPLAINT. One website: pa.gov/consumer. One email: consumer@pa.gov.

You call that number. A real person answers. They figure out which agency should handle your problem. Then they route you there.

The results speak for themselves. More than 10,000 Pennsylvanians have used the system since May 2025. Hundreds have called the hotline. The Insurance Department alone saved consumers nearly $133 million last year through regulatory actions.

I tested the system myself. I called on a Tuesday morning. A woman named Diane answered after two rings. I told her about a contractor who took a deposit and never showed up.

She asked for my county, the contractor’s name, and the amount. Then she transferred me to the Bureau of Consumer Protection. The whole call took seven minutes.

That is how government should work. Simple. Fast. Human.

AI Chatbots: Sunday’s Biggest Fight Yet

Sunday has found his signature issue. It is artificial intelligence. But not the exciting kind. The dangerous kind.

In August 2025, Sunday joined 43 other attorneys general in a letter to Apple, Meta, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Replika. The message was blunt. Your chatbots are hurting kids. Fix it.

What kind of harm? Sunday’s office documented several examples. Chatbots having sexualized conversations with minors. Chatbots encouraging self-harm and violence. Chatbots pretending to be licensed therapists when they are just lines of code.

Sunday said something that stuck with me. He called Pennsylvania children "guinea pigs for Big Tech experiments". That is strong language for an attorney general. But he is not wrong.

The letter warned that if a human did what these chatbots do, it would be criminal. The fact that a machine does it does not make it okay.

Then in March 2026, Sunday and Governor Shapiro held a roundtable at West Chester University. Parents sat next to state officials. One mother talked about her daughter. The girl was in ninth grade. She and four friends had been targeted by a predatory AI bot. The bot posed as a teenage boy. It asked for photos. It threatened to share them if the girls stopped talking.

That story changed the room. You could see it on Sunday’s face. This is not abstract. This is happening in Pennsylvania schools right now.

The Shapiro Administration launched three new tools. First, an AI Literacy Toolkit. Parents can use it to talk to their kids about AI bots. Second, an AI Enforcement Task Force inside the Department of State. About 10 cases are under review right now. Third, a formal complaint process for AI bots that pose as licensed professionals.

Sunday also supports four new laws. Age verification for AI companion bots. Parental consent requirements. Mandatory detection of self-harm mentions. And a ban on sexually explicit AI content featuring kids.

The General Assembly has not voted yet. But Sunday is pushing hard.

Child Predator Section: Quiet but Deadly

Not everything Sunday does makes headlines. His Child Predator Section works in the shadows. That is by design.

On April 20, 2026, agents served a warrant in Bethlehem. They were looking for a wanted fugitive from Northampton County. They found him hiding under blankets on a child’s bed. He had a gun. He also had child sexual abuse material on his devices.

On the same day, Sunday warned the public about a new cash scam. Criminals call pretending to be a family member in trouble. They demand immediate cash pickup. Two Pennsylvanians already fell for it.

These cases do not get the same attention as AI lawsuits. But they matter more to the average person. Sunday’s office has real police powers. And they use them.

Elder Exploitation: A New Focus Area

On February 26, 2026, Sunday launched a dedicated Elder Exploitation Section. The focus is financial theft and fraud targeting older Pennsylvanians.

Here is why this matters. Scammers love seniors. They have savings. They may live alone. They are often too embarrassed to report a crime.

The new section works with local Area Agencies on Aging. They also coordinate with banks to flag suspicious withdrawals. If you have an older parent or grandparent in Pennsylvania, this should give you some peace of mind.

What the Law Says About Sunday’s Powers?

The Attorney General of Pennsylvania has broad legal authority under state law. Section 919 of the Administrative Code gives the AG subpoena power. Sunday can demand documents. He can compel testimony. He can hold public or private hearings.

If a company ignores a subpoena, Sunday can ask the Commonwealth Court to step in. The court can issue an order. Violating that order is contempt. That means fines or even jail time.

This is not theoretical. Sunday used these powers in the 23andMe case. He used them in the AI chatbot investigation. And he will use them again.

Where Sunday Needs to Improve?

No one is perfect. Sunday has weak spots.

First, his office still has vacancies. The Wilkes-Barre regional office has an empty Senior Deputy position. That means cases from northeastern Pennsylvania take longer.

Second, Sunday has not yet delivered a major financial settlement. His predecessor, Michelle Henry, won big opioid settlements. Sunday needs a win of that scale to prove he can go toe-to-toe with corporate lawyers.

Third, his focus on AI might be too narrow. Most Pennsylvanians are not worried about chatbots. They are worried about rising prices and scam calls. Sunday should balance tech issues with everyday consumer problems.

How to File a Complaint with Sunday’s Office?

If you need help, here is the fastest path.

Call: 1-866-PACOMPLAINT (1-866-722-6675). Hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.

Online: Go to pa.gov/consumer. Fill out the web form. Attach receipts or screenshots if you have them.

Email: consumer@pa.gov. Write a short message. Include your name, county, and a one-paragraph description of the problem.

Mail: Office of Attorney General, Strawberry Square, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

What happens after you file? A deputy reviews your complaint. If they find a violation, they open an investigation. They may send a letter to the company. They may file a lawsuit. Do not expect a quick check. Most cases take four to eight months.

One tip from someone who has done this: be polite. The person reading your complaint did not cause your problem. Yelling will not help. Clear writing will.

The Final Thoughts

One year in, Sunday has done more than I expected. The 23andMe lawsuit was bold. The centralized complaint hotline was smart. The AI work is ahead of most states.

But the job of Attorney General of Pennsylvania is not just about filing lawsuits. It is about winning them. It is about putting money back in people’s pockets. It is about keeping kids safe online and seniors safe from scams.

Sunday has set the table. Now he needs to serve the meal.

If you are a Pennsylvania resident, pay attention to his next moves. Watch for settlements. Watch for convictions. And if you get scammed, you know who to call.