The Governmental Affairs Division protects the safety and well-being of citizens by ensuring that professionals such as doctors adhere to state laws and disciplinary rules, by enforcing state ethics and campaign finance laws, and by enforcing penalties against nursing homes for violating standards of care and removing caregivers who abuse or neglect vulnerable citizens. They also help mentally ill and physically challenged Missourians obtain guardians to help obtain care.

The division provides legal representation to state officers, including the secretary of state, treasurer and auditor, as well as several state agencies, including the departments of Health and Senior Services, Mental Health, and Social Services; the Missouri Ethics Commission; the Health Facilities Review Committee; and more than 30 professional licensing boards. Division attorneys also defend constitutional challenges to state laws and ballot issues. Division attorneys enforce the provisions of the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, which has brought in more than $1.5 billion to the state as of April 2009. Attorneys in the division also address questions from the public, from government officials and from the media about Missouri's open meetings and records law, commonly known as the Sunshine Law.